AI-Enabled Robot As Security Guard

The deployment of AI-enabled robots as security guards at Santa Fe High School, New Mexico / Cody Dynarski. As society focuses on the safety...

The deployment of AI-enabled robots as security guards at Santa Fe High School, New Mexico / Cody Dynarski.

As society focuses on the safety of people, AI-enabled robots are being introduced as security guards in public spaces like airports and schools. Thanks to Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics that have opened up new exciting possibilities and fueled significant strides in security.  

AI-enabled robots can contribute to surveillance, monitoring, and enhanced rapid response to emergencies, deterrence of criminal activities, and reduction in human error. Furthermore, they offer a cost-effective solution compared to maintaining a team of human security guards, with the ability to provide continuous surveillance and safeguard public places.

Overview

In this post, Science Techniz explores the potential benefits of implementing AI-enabled robots as security guards in schools and how they can enhance safety and efficiency. The deployment of AI-enabled robots as security guards in public places demonstrated the potential of leveraging advanced technologies to enhance safety and security. 

While the introduction of AI-enabled robots in school security is a promising development, it is crucial to strike a balance between technology and human presence. As technology continues to evolve, the adoption of AI-enabled robots as security guards represents a significant step toward creating safer environments. These robots may perform certain roles and tasks:

Enhanced Surveillance and Monitoring: AI-enabled robots that are equipped with sophisticated cameras and sensors can provide advanced surveillance capabilities in school environments. These robots can monitor hallways, common areas, and even remote locations in real time, detecting and reporting any suspicious activities. With their ability to continuously analyze and process data, these robots can identify potential security threats, such as unauthorized individuals or suspicious packages, and promptly alert the appropriate authorities.

Unlike human who may experience fatigue, AI robots are not susceptible to human error.

Rapid Response to Emergencies: In the event of an emergency situation, AI-enabled robots can play a crucial role in improving response times. Equipped with intelligent algorithms, these robots can quickly navigate through school premises, reaching the affected area faster than human personnel. They can also communicate with emergency services, provide real-time updates on the situation, and even assist in guiding students and staff to safety through pre-programmed evacuation routes.

Deterrent to Criminal Activities: The presence of AI-enabled robots can act as a deterrent to criminal activities within school premises. These robots can patrol the grounds, maintaining a constant and vigilant presence. The knowledge that a security robot is actively monitoring the environment can dissuade potential intruders, vandals, or other individuals with malicious intent. By deterring criminal activities, these robots contribute to creating a safer and more secure learning environment for students and staff.

Reduction in Human Error: Unlike human security guards who may experience fatigue or distractions, AI-enabled robots are not susceptible to human error. They consistently adhere to predefined protocols and guidelines, ensuring that security measures are implemented consistently. By minimizing human error, these robots help eliminate vulnerabilities that can be exploited by potential threats, leading to more effective security measures overall.

Cost-Effective Solution: Implementing AI-enabled robots as security guards in schools can offer a cost-effective solution in the long run. While the initial investment may be significant, the operational costs associated with robots are generally lower compared to maintaining a team of human security guards. Robots do not require benefits, breaks, or vacations, making them a cost-efficient alternative that can provide 24/7 surveillance and security.

Deployment

Given the rising concerns about gun violence, theft, and mass shootings in schools, several companies are now offering AI-enabled robots to educational institutions across the globe, more particularly in the US. While currently they are being used primarily for campus surveillance, these robots possess the potential to perform more advanced tasks, including confronting unauthorized individuals and potential attackers on school premises.

Just recently Santa Fe High School in New Mexico deployed a 5-foot-10, 400-pound AI-enabled robot, for the first time it was seen roaming around during a graduation ceremony. Initially mistaken for a photography robot, it was revealed that the robot was providing 360-degree camera footage to the school's security team. 

A security robot from Team 1st Technologies is patrolling Santa Fe High School in a pilot program this summer / Cody Dynarski.

The New Mexico school district initiated a pilot program in mid-June, utilizing the robot to patrol the campus grounds 24/7. The AI-enabled robot at Santa Fe High School utilizes artificial intelligence to learn the school's normal patterns of activity. It can identify individuals who are on campus after hours or display aggressive behavior. 

Andrews, a visual arts teacher at the school, said she initially thought the robot was taking photos of the graduates. She was taken aback when her husband described it as a police robot and she learned that it was providing 360-degree camera footage to the school security team. “My reaction was, ‘Yuck,’” Andrews said. “What is it filming, what kind of camera is on it?”

Using artificial intelligence, the robot in Santa Fe learns the school’s normal patterns of activity and detects individuals who are on campus after hours or are displaying aggressive behavior, said Andy Sanchez, who manages sales for Team 1st Technologies, the robot’s distributor in North America. 

In the case of an active shooter or other threat, the robot could alert the security team, Sanchez said. It could move toward the intruder and transmit video footage that informs the officers’ course of action, he said. The robot isn’t armed but can confront intruders, and human security team members would be able to speak to the intruder through the robot’s communication system. 

The school chose to disable the robot’s weapons detection features during the pilot, although the security team is determining whether it might be added at a later time, said Mario Salbidrez, executive director of safety and security at Santa Fe Public Schools. 

Members of the district security team and the high school are responsible for reviewing video footage when the robot sends alerts about unusual activity. The robot doesn’t have facial recognition features, and Santa Fe High School owns the robot’s video footage, meaning it can decide whether or not to save it, Sanchez said.

In the event of an active shooter or other threats, the robot can alert the security team, move toward the intruder, and transmit video footage to inform their response. Although the robot is not armed, it can engage with intruders, allowing human security team members to communicate with the individual through the robot's communication system.

The robot hasn’t yet detected intruders on campus, but it has alerted the security team to new workers entering the school’s construction site and individuals attempting to open locked doors in harmless attempts to enter buildings, Salbidrez said. Its cameras have also caught faculty members waving to the cameras and students making peace signs in passing, he added. 

Callie Trader, a rising senior at Santa Fe High School, said she is unfazed by additional surveillance on campus. She said she isn’t sure students will take the robot seriously, and she doesn’t think the robot will change students’ behavior any more than existing security cameras do. 

“I think it will just be funnier, just different,” she said. Reed Meschefske, film studies and acting and drama teacher at Santa Fe High School, said that he already feels safe at school without the new surveillance measures. But the high school is large, and the robot, which he described as a “seven camera dog,” could help cover blind spots on campus that currently go undetected, he said.

Mario Salbidrez, executive director of safety and security at Santa Fe Public Schools / Sabra LaVaun.

Other schools are now considering deploying robots in a security role. Robert Stokes, co-owner and president of Stokes Robotics, said his company is working with multiple districts across the country. In most cases, schools will use robots in the classroom to teach students about coding, Stokes said. But in the face of an armed intruder, the robot could take more aggressive action, pointing a laser beam at a suspect’s chest or using flashing lights to try to induce them to drop their weapons.

Humans would be responsible for deciding the robot’s course of action in real-time but could remain out of the line of fire in the case of an active shooter, Stokes said. Brad Wade, superintendent of Wyandotte Public Schools in Oklahoma, said the district hopes to introduce four robots from Stokes Robotics in the fall. 

The district is primarily considering robots with video cameras that could monitor the doorways of school buildings, although the robots that can directly confront intruders aren’t out of the question, Wade added. New technology may create the appearance of making campuses safer, said Kenneth Trump, president of the Ohio-based consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services. 

But schools should first focus on teaching students how to inform a trusted adult about suspicious incidents on campus, he said. “There’s a difference between doing something that’s impactful versus doing something for the sake of doing something,” Trump said. “We need to make sure that we master kindergarten before we’re looking for Ph.D. solutions to school safety.” 

Team 1st Technologies is piloting the robot at Santa Fe High School free of charge for the summer. The cost for the 2023-24 school year is estimated to be around $60,000 to $70,000, Salbidrez said. The school is still determining if the robot is worth the investment, he said. “At this point, I don’t have anything to say no to it,” Salbidrez said. “But I don’t have enough compelling information to say yes to it either.”