Robotic Nation Evidence

New Security Robot Doubles as Facility Operations' Wi-Fi Robotic Assistant

From the article:

Once a PatrolBot scans its work areas, it travels automatically to perform tasks: mapping temperatures to improve central heating and cooling efficiency; measuring wi-fi signal strength to improve coverage; enabling security guards to remotely investigate several problems simultaneously, and carrying light, emergency supplies or other equipment into an unsafe or dark building. PatrolBot systems have been used at companies including Hewlett-Packard, Pfizer Global Research and Victoria's Secret.

The new PatrolBot can carry 12kg of sensors and surveillance equipment, over 2cm cables, across 2cm sills and up ADA-compliant slopes in daylight and
dark.

PatrolBot employs revolutionary ARCS controls shared by AR MobileRobot's AGV's and other intelligent rovers. Using sophisticated sensing and software, ARCS robots map buildings on-the-fly and navigate to destinations without wires or other retrofitting. They can share maps, enabling a fleet of robots to head out with little notice. ARCS robots sense obstacles; if a path is blocked they can find alternative routes.

This ability to share maps and communicate wirelessley is fascinating, because it means that groups of hundreds of robots will be able to act much more intelligently than single robots can. Imagine a city containing millions of robots, all of them sharing information with one another like this. See also this post.