K5 is a security robot that is produced by startup, Knightscope. The firm has been developing it since 2013 and started offering its services to companies in 2014. The K5 is fairly advanced, utilizing GPS, cameras, and others sensors to observe its surroundings. Although they are meant to perform security duties, the units are not equipped with any kind of weapons.
In an unfortunate event, a 41-year-old man, who has been identified as Jason Sylvain, assaulted a K5 while it was making the rounds during its shift in Mountain View. The robot was knocked to the ground, but luckily only suffered minor scratches. Sylvain was allegedly intoxicated when the incident took place. The K5 was back at its post a week after the incident.
While they are fairly intelligent, these bots are meant to be utilized as a companion of sorts, where humans are nearby, monitoring the data that is collected, allowing them to take action when necessary. In the event that something escalates beyond the scope of what the robot can handle, humans will step in and make the final decision.
Source: SFGate via Ars Technica | Image via Knightscope
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