Singapore is all set to zoom in the modern age as soon robot ‘security guards’ will be seen patrolling the premises of organisations and providing fool-proof security.
These robot security guards are 1.6m-tall, four-wheeled, seven-eyed robots and are capable enough to detect, inspect and report on security breaches and other abnormalities such as fire, smoke, burst pipes, loud sounds, and even unattended bags.
The robot,called S5, is part of Ademco’s new Robot-As-A-Service (RaaS) launch. It has a suspension that allows it to withstand knocks and bumps. It has a long neck which is equipped with six cameras for panoramic vision and an additional pan-tilt-zoom camera for remote zooming. The robot’s cameras are capable to assesses a 360-degree surrounding.
There is an inbuilt automatic guidance system which allows the robot to take detours and avoid obstacles, preventing accidents with humans and vehicles. It also has a WiFi and other communication software that relays any information to an on-site security centre as well as to Ademco’s 24-hour Central Monitoring and Command Centre (CMCC).
They are more suitable for deployment in large sites or protected zones such as oil and chemical plants or military zones.
However, this 160 kg robot has also its limitations. The robots can move on slopes, but they cannot climb stairs. They are also unsuitable for use in spaces with high human traffic.
These modern robots are very costly as the company has to pay SGD7,500 a month to rent them. This works out to SGD10.40 an hour for using them round-the-clock.
However, Toby Koh, group managing director of Ademco, said that the cost is not too much to ask, considering how companies are spending up to SGD4,000 a month for one security officer clocking 12-hour shifts, or paying SGD8,000 for two officers to cover 24 hours.
He also told that three organisations have expressed interest in using the robots to complement their security systems at some 70 sites across Singapore. He added that the companies are turning to this solution mainly to address high employee turnover and to free their existing guards from foot-patrol duties.
