It is amazing the number of tasks robots are involved in these days to make our world run smoothly.
We have become accustomed to seeing robots help with floor cleaning and various other chores but it is amazing to see them being used to add security for some of our cities and urban facilities.
These robots can see you and talk with you but, like most any new creation, there are things that need to be improved along the way and one of these has to do with privacy.
In New York City you may see them patrolling the sidewalks using technologies used in self-driving cars.
Their appearance is much like that of commercial garbage cans that you see used to collect trash at airports, bus stations or on city streets.
There is a lot of technology encased in these robots. There are five cameras in each robot
which act as the "eyes" of the robot and the fifth is used to obtain thermal imaging data. All the information is gathered and is forwarded via the internet to the local security teams.
Some of the tasks the robots can do are, record license plates numbers, see cellphone serial numbers within certain areas and watch people as they move around on the sidewalks.
The data is secured and seen only by those charged with controlling the robot. It can be stopped and receive new instructions but it isn't equipped with a joystick and, therefore, unable to zero in on a certain person or group and follow them.
