Ring, the Amazon-owned home security company, is launching its own robotics division with the aim of automating security in both the home and the office. The company announced Ring Robotics on Tuesday, debuting two new devices that are sure to stir up quite a bit of controversy.
The first new device is a home security drone that users can deploy to patrol their homes when they are out and about. Another product the company is launching is a mobile enterprise security robot designed for businesses.
First up is the drone. Ring calls the device a “flying indoor security camera.” After reading this, you should have a good idea of what this device does and how it works. The Ring Drone Cam is designed to fly from room to room, inspecting what’s going on in your home and alerting you to any problems. It’s built to integrate with Ring’s other home security devices, so if your Ring alarm goes off in a certain area of your home (like the back door), the bot will likely fly to that location to investigate. When not in use, the drone remains inactive in the docking bay.
This drone shoots video in 2K and is also equipped with an LED light, allowing you to monitor at night and record video in low-light conditions. You can control it via Amazon’s Alexa Home Map, and you can also schedule the bot to patrol your home at specific times. So, even if you know you’ll be out at night or on vacation, your drone will let you know what’s going on while you’re away.
Now let’s move on to the Ring Rover Cam. Similar to a drone, this mobile robot can be configured to patrol specific routes at specific times within your company. The robot streams video in continuous 4K, which can be viewed on Ring’s mobile app, and can be triggered to automatically record if it detects a human. It also comes with a periscope camera that can be adjusted to see above certain obstacles, and includes two-way audio. This means that if a remote user needs to communicate with a human in the store (such as an employee or a robber), they can do so through the robot.
Ring said both devices are powered by the same proprietary AI system, known as AI Pilot. The company says the system leverages “specialized vision models, sensors, and cloud processing to see, think, and navigate autonomously.” Both devices are designed to use the software to create detailed schematics of your home or office, purely by exploring the space on your own, the company says.
The company claims its new device is “like having a patrolling security guard who never clocks out.” “Ring Rover can sweep floors after closing, investigate when a sensor is activated at 2 a.m., and stream it all to your phone no matter where you are.”
Automated security is one area the technology industry has never been able to fully break through. In 2021, Amazon launched its own home security robot known as Astro. Ring’s new robot-like Astro (the company says “feedback from Amazon Astro customers” inspired the creation of the bot) was first announced as a type of vague domestic help before being repurposed as an enterprise security product. But the device never caught on, and seven months after the robot gained attention as a security guard for small businesses, Amazon put it out to pasture.
Privacy concerns have long dogged Ring, with critics frequently claiming that the company’s cameras create an informal surveillance network that can be used by law enforcement (and routinely). Given that both products have the potential to be compromised, it seems natural to assume similar complaints would be filed about the company’s latest product.
But Ring claims that both devices have “privacy and security” built into them. The company notes that videos recorded on both devices are protected by TAKE (Throw Away the Key Encryption), which the company calls “the strongest default encryption ever.” Not sure if there is an option for local video storage. Ring cameras typically record video to the cloud.
The Rover will be available starting December 16th and will retail for a whopping $1,000. Meanwhile, the drone won’t launch until January 27 next year and will sell for $270.
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