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Wi-Fi Security Robots?
John Hering writes "It was bound to happen.... Security Robots that are "Wi-Fi" enabled and capable of enterprise-grade tasks. Details have emerged about a robotics platform that combines cutting edge security and wireless technologies and is capable of integration with buildings' central heating and cooling systems, security systems, air quality controls, wi-fi networks, and even lighting and power systems to provide valuable building services and emergency back-up. It can even greet guests, guide them to their destinations or lead building tours! Similar projects in the past have pushed these robotics technologies forward and spawned numerous new projects , especially amongst the linux community."
Its secure enough to not let this happen:
Some one hacks one of these things and it opens the front door for them.
...do these security robots run? I just know I'm going to get modded Troll for this, but with all due respect, I wouldn't feel terribily comfortable with a company whose security bots run Windows. I'll feel especially freaked out when the security bots advance to the point where they are actually armed. Can you imagine Windows BSoDing on one of these things, and causing a gun to fire? Gives me the shivers. And I'm sure it's only a matter of time before it happens... (shit, if the Navy can base an entire warship around Windows...)
Honey, I shrunk the Cygwin
I hope you all have seen Sony's QRIO ROBOT. It's that humanoid robot. More like an AIBO in the human form.
Can do all that the AIBO can, and can do it all a lot better cause it can carry a lot more equipment. It has Wi-Fi, and a customizable software that lets you control all cameras / motion / etc. It can be used as an autonomous creature, or be remote controlled.
A customized version could easily do security robot tasks.
Read more about it here.
Kind of ironic that Assimov's "I,Robot" trailer just hit theaters this weekend. Anyone who hasn't, by the way, needs to read Bill Joy's "Why The Future Doesn't Need Us."
dmiessler.com -- grep understanding knowledge
I'm not sure how well Windows XP runs on positronic brains.
Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by mere idiocy.
That in itself tells you something. If you're wireless networks being jammed, somethings wrong.
Don't think human replacement, think human augmentation. One human security guard from a safe central terminal can monitor a bunch of automated surveillance drones. The drones can be in multiple places at once, carry thermal imaging cameras, fit in small places, etc, etc. The guard functions as the control for the cluster, if any of the drones hit something suspicious they flag the guard who can take a look for himself.
Pretty neat actually, it would allow one guard to cover a lot more physical territory at once, and 'go' places that might be dangerous in an industrial environment.
You're using the wrong paradigm. Don't think human replacement with robots, think cyborg humans only with the hardware mounted externally, and with some simple AI to cut down on the need for direct attention. After all, we are basically using computers right now as artificial memory/intelligence augmentation by using them to do things the human brain isn't well set up to do. Now we can do some simple physical augmentation as well. Pretty cool really.