Security robots are coming to more locations. Knightscope Inc. this week announced nine new deployments and sales of its Autonomous Security Robot and Blue Light Emergency Communications Systems. The new contracts were in Illinois and Kentucky, and the new deployments were in Arizona, California, Louisiana, and Nevada.
Knightscope recently won 18 contracts valued at over $1 million. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company was an early innovator in the robots-as-a-service (RaaS) business model, and each new contract provides ongoing revenue (ARR).
Each of Knightscope’s security systems has a different physical footprint. It offers mobile robots using artificial intelligence for indoor and outdoor use. Each is equipped with an array of sensors that extend the range and reach of a site’s security team.
Facility security teams can assign the Autonomous Security Robot (ASR) to patrol areas including sidewalks, parking lots, storage areas, and indoor hallways. When the robot detects a suspicious situation, it can alert human staffers to evaluate and resolve it.
Knightscope reports successful deployments
A university in the Chicago area is upgrading five of its emergency communication systems with Knightscope’s upgrade kit.
“Modern blue-light emergency phones and call boxes are the key to curing an overconfident dependence on cell phones,” according to Knightscope. “Many people may not have (or simply may not be carrying) a cell phone, the cell phone’s battery may be down, or there may be no signal in the area.”
In addition, visitors who need assistance may not be familiar with local geography and landmarks and so could not give emergency responders an exact or accurate location, it noted.
In extreme emergencies, such as natural or human-made disasters, cell phone networks can get overloaded even as people need them most. Knightscope said its upgrade transforms the university’s older communications equipment into the more reliable 4G/LTE devices “to ensure the highest levels of service.”
The Car Park Holdings LLC, a Knightscope Authorized Partner (KAP) in Idaho, is the reseller responsible for landing a K5 ASR contract with a hotel in Louisville, Ky. The K5 is driven by proprietary AI software to enhance safety measures at the property while providing visitors with an interactive experience.
Knightscope said its K5 is a fully autonomous outdoor robot capable of watching over a property 24/7. The robot’s size — along with its conspicuous lighting, broadcast messages and patrol sounds — are intended to deter illicit activities. The company added that the K5’s sensors gather evidentiary-quality video and publicly available data to aid investigations.
New deployments deliver value, revenue
Knightscope stated that one of the new customers is confidential. The eight remaining locations are spread across clients in healthcare, commercial mixed-use applications, property management, multi-family residential, retail, gaming, and manufacturing environments.
The company said each U.S. deployment allows it to begin recognizing revenue, delivering to its bottom line and adding long-term value. It reported $12.8 million for 2023, more than double that of the previous year.