Are These Robots the Future of Gun Control?

Who knew R2D2 loved gun control?!

The Mountain View startup company Knightscope currently has a line of Autonomous Data Machines (ADMs) capable of taking 360-degree HD video, detecting physical presence, and recognizing license plates and faces. K5s have broadcasting and sophisticated monitoring capabilities to keep public spaces, such as malls and office buildings, monitored for crime as they rove through open areas, halls and corridors working to detect suspicious activity, and could soon be able to detect your gun.

Advertisement

What started as an idea to build a predictive network of using robots for crime prevention by Stacey Dean Stephens, a former law enforcement agent, and his co-founder William Li, has taken a sharp left across law-abiding citizens’ right to carry.

screenshot2016-10-10at4-32-26pm

Knightscope is now looking for funding to equip it’s units with the ability to detect guns, saying, “We are all tired of waking up every morning to see a new horrific event on our news feeds. No number of “thoughts and prayers” is going to solve the problem. Our team wakes up every morning with a singular focus and chance to do something about it – and we have and will continue to put our blood, sweat and tears into the effort of better protecting our country and keeping our communities safe. No matter what it takes.”

The company, which has already received close to $12 million in funding from companies including Konica Minolta to build on the idea, is hoping the proposed improvements on the K5s will help stop gun violence.

Advertisement

But what about legal gun owners and concealed carry permit holders? Obviously, R2D2 here wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a criminal thug and a law-abiding citizen, making them dangerous to our right to keep and bear arms.

Check out TechCrunch’s December 2015 interview with Knightscope’s co-founder Stacey Dean Stephens:

Join the conversation as a VIP Member