10 advantages - and 5 disadvantages - of robotics applied to the security services sector

Robots, Robotics, Technology, Surveillance robots, Security company, Surveillance company, Autonomous terrestrial drones

Regardless of the financial aspect, how does robotics improve the offer of a security company? In other words, what concrete benefits does it derive from the use of robots, and what is the added value for its customers?

Any project to modernize its services requires reflection, and for a society of surveillance, the decision to use robotics is not taken lightly. Before embarking on such a transition, it is important to have a clear idea of the challenges as well as the benefits that await you.

How can adding robots to your workforce make your security teams more efficient and effective? This is what we will try to see. Since nothing is perfect, not even robots, let's start with the disadvantages.

The 5 flats of the robots
1. Robots scare humans
This "negative" aspect has nothing to do with robotics, but we must still take it into account. Indeed, drunk with Hollywood sci-fi and catastrophic economic scenarios, minds are often afraid of working with a robot. Why ?

If we look more closely, we see that basically robots inspire two types of fear: that of being subject to their dominance and that of losing our jobs. Let's see that more closely.

at. Afraid to see robots dominate the human species

The first fear of robots comes down to one sentence: "What if they took control of our world and enslaved us? "

First, if we really want to worry, we could take a look at the Internet and our laptops, which we have become so dependent, so fast!

Then, as we saw in a recent article, the idea of ​​a robot that would develop a "super-intelligence" similar - and possibly superior - to ours is rather myth.

However, this perception dominated by the collective imagination tends to fade. First, robots are increasingly present in everyday life: household robots, medical, industrial, on production lines, not to mention "distribution, airports, banks, hotels."

Then, initiatives like Innorobo, competitions like First and various exhibitions for young people allow a large public to rub shoulders - even to build - these famous robots and to note that they have nothing to do with the Terminator and other creations of scary science fiction. More and more, we see robots as "simple" machines, certainly sophisticated, but at bottom are not so threatening, at least not this way.

In short, everything is a question of perception, therefore of education and information. Basically, if instead of a "robot invasion" we were talking about an "establishment of autonomous terrestrial drones", the reaction would probably be very different!

b. Afraid to see robots stealing our jobs

Much more rational in appearance, this second concern is also questioned.

First, intelligent cameras and predictive algorithms present a risk at least equal to, or even higher than, robots.

Then, one of the first macroscopic research on the question conducted by Uppsala University and the London School of Economics in 17 countries, calls into question these apprehensions:

between 1993 and 2007, the robots would have helped to increase by 10% the GNP of the countries studied;
in these same countries, robotics would have had an effect on general productivity similar to that of the steam engine between 1855 and 1910, with an increase of 0.35% per year;
countries that have massively used robots, notably Germany and Sweden, have not observed the expected job losses: for example, Germany saw its manufacturing jobs decline by 19%, compared with 33 % for the United States, which invested about three times less in robotics;
on the whole, it seems that robots essentially have the effect of increasing productivity rather than eliminating jobs.

That said, the Federation of Robotics estimates that by 2018 no less than 1.3 million industrial robots will be active in factories around the world. The impacts of robotics on employment are therefore not to be underestimated and they require a real collective reflection.

If we consider the specific sector of security, however, we see that this is a special case: just like what happens in the military sector, where robots serve a soldiers, but power multipliers, robots represent an added value, rather than a replacement value, so to speak.

For example, some security companies use robots not to replace their guards, but to free them from tedious patrols and give them value-added tasks such as planning, investigations, and customer interactions.

Just as robots do not manage for the moment to master a seemingly simple task like putting on laces in a sports shoe, they are far from being able to replace the human presence in the protection of perimeters. This activity requires a set of skills that will escape robots for a while yet.

It can not be said with certainty - after all, experts are still struggling to assess the effects of computerization, a process that has been underway for almost four decades - but it can be assumed that in the long term robotics will not result in a disappearance, but a displacement of jobs, the least specialized being as always the most at risk.

Moreover, according to an article in Le Monde, "beyond fantasies", job losses are not among the concrete problems posed by artificial intelligence. As Marie-Claire Gée, chair of the Employment Council at a Senate hearing pointed out: "At every major wave of technological innovation, there is the fear of massive unemployment. History has shown that technological progress has always created jobs, including in recent years. "

So, forget about science fiction: security teams composed only of robots, it's not for tomorrow! In reality, robots are not about to replace humans. Automation will only transform our jobs and the way we work.

However, we must recognize that the emergence of new technologies - robotics, facial recognition, artificial intelligence, etc. - contribute to changing the ecosystem of the traditionally labor-intensive security industry. As Alf Göransson, CEO of Sweden's Securitas, explains, both individuals and businesses will have to adapt to these changes.

To conclude, "social acceptance" of robots is essential, and as such it requires special attention, with tailored communications.

2. Robot capabilities are limited
Of course, robots see better and further than us - and what's more, at 360˚ ─, they do not get tired between refills, they detect anomalies more effectively than us, they do not get tired, they do not lie and social networks do not appeal to them.

What needs to be understood, however, is that robots are not "smart", at least not in the sense that we usually hear them. In other words, apart from object recognition and intelligent navigation, their resources - for example in terms of empathy and the ability to react to unforeseen events - are practically nil. Here again, their hyperspecialization makes them tributary of a team.

3. Robots need humans
The great strength of the robot, in a security context, is its ability to detect problems and anomalies. From there, however, everything rests in the hands of humans. In other words, a robot can report a problem and, if need be, launch a warning to flee potential intruders. But he can not really chase them down, let alone stop them.

Corollary point 2, your robot must be part of a team to be effective. The quality of this integration is even a guarantee of success, as we will see in a future file on change management.

4. Robots do not have the touch ... human
Given the artificial nature of robots, we can hardly blame them for this lack! In fact, she should reassure us. The robot that can, like the film anticipation Her, seduce a human is not yet on the drawing board, even if we work very hard to develop their "relational capabilities". We will come back to it, but in a nutshell, the algorithms of feelings, it is not for tomorrow!

These last two "gaps" of robots send us back to our second point: once again, even "autonomous", our creations still need us, humans.

5. Robots have their failures
Oh yes ! It happens to robots, just like us, to stay on the grid some mornings! Even if the electric propulsion eliminates many evils, no machine is entirely safe from the breakdowns, besides that the management of the updates and compatibilities requires punctual interventions.

The important thing is to check the reliability of the model you are considering and to ensure that you have solid technical support, at least until you have developed some of the required expertise internally.

Let's look at the positive aspects.

The 10 advantages of security robots
It should be noted that we are talking here about surveillance of perimeters, inside or outside, where the public is not supposed to circulate: industrial sites, energy installations, isolated or fenced grounds or closed at night (car parks, sports centers, airports, shopping centers, etc.).

1. Impervious to the vagaries of temperature, they are always on the lookout
Recall three great qualities of robots as security guards:

Their vigilance never falters, even in the most repetitive tasks.
As long as their batteries are charged, they continue their activities without bending. No coffee breaks, no meals, no laptops to distract them!
Whether it is freezing or 30 degrees in the shade, it does not make them hot or cold, and the humidex does not concern them in any way.
They are ready to react in the millisecond.
The first point is particularly important. Indeed, the attention of humans varies enormously from one person to another and according to the time of day, the degree of motivation, etc.

According to some research, after twenty minutes 95% of what happens on the screen would escape the average security video watchers. But your robot can continue this task for hours, even whole days, without his attention failing for a split second.

Where an officer would do rounds of about twenty minutes before returning to his control room monitor the cameras, the robot, he is able to walk around a warehouse twenty-four hours a day, and redo the same course dozens of times without ever getting tired or tired.

2. They act as a force multiplier
Let's take a closer look at what makes robots more efficient for security teams.

Thus, an autonomous outdoor robot helps to increase the potential of safety teams, thanks to:

its 360 ° cameras
its remote-controlled pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) high-resolution camera
its detectors
Its cameras give it the ability to distinguish, better than humans, to raise doubts at a lower cost.

Depending on the needs, we can also add:

an infrared camera to "see" at night and through haze and smoke
a thermal camera
Flame or smoke detectors
sensors sensitive to temperatures, gases, radioactivity, etc.
These detection devices are complemented by technologies that serve to:

transmit the live video stream
save this feed, for solidly documented reports
Everything is of course crowned, coordinated and "interpreted" by an embedded artificial intelligence thanks to which the robot can, with the appropriate software:

to move autonomously once he has "learned" his round
get around obstacles
analyze the streaming video stream
detect humans

The merger of these advanced technologies into one mobile, standalone device boosts the security agencies' ability to detect intrusions and anomalies in places that fixed cameras can not reach.

Compared to cameras, its mobility makes the surveillance robot even more difficult to avoid because its rounds, far from being predictable, seem perfectly random.

All these capabilities make the robot an ally of great efficiency. For example, the guards who have to look after large perimeters alone at night. For Dave Ella, chief technology officer at G4S, a private security firm responsible for Baghdad airport and pipelines in Niger, robots and technology are playing an increasingly important role in security deployments. "At night, in office buildings, you often have a security guard sitting at a desk. Meanwhile, the robot can go round and spot any unusual activity. "

Thanks to their "extra-human" capabilities, the robots are tailor-made to work in collaboration with humans, thus making it possible to secure larger areas for better protection of people, assets and properties.

From their command post, security guards can take advantage of the physical capabilities of their "assistants" to oversee a larger area. Their robots give them somehow the gift of ubiquity, and allow them to detect and analyze more quickly the risks and anomalies, so to react and intervene more quickly.

In fact, when integrating such a range of tools, one should speak of "technologically advanced autonomous monitoring devices" rather than "robots". This term, which must be used to make itself understood, is actually confusing (see point 3 of the caveats, above).

What about the combination (aerial drone + UGV)?

In terms of robotic efficiency, we have recently seen the emergence of surveillance robots capable of launching an unmanned aircraft to better track and chase intruders.

The idea of combining terrestrial drone and aerial drone certainly has something to seduce the spirits. One may wonder, since this is about added value, if such a combination is enough to make a security team more efficient.

The project to combine the two technologies is indeed in the cartons of TBC-France: the aerial drone seems to be a promising avenue, and eventually the team plans to add this component to its range of monitoring tools. For the moment, however, some technical aspects, especially with regard to the integration of the two technologies, are still to be refined, and others, such as training, regulatory and insurance issues, remain to be clarified.

3. They are effective deterrents
The design, which is more of the civil earth drone than the humanoid robot, has something deterrent: the size and weight of the robot give it some credibility in its mission to secure perimeters. The antipodes also remote control tank, it rather evokes a mini-all-terrain vehicle, a technology that is familiar to us.

Then, it can "react" to an intrusion or announce itself by means of loudspeakers, or even sirens. (Studies show that the mere presence of a robot does not have a deterrent effect, but researchers believe that a robot that "reacts", that is to say that sends a clear signal, in the face of an intrusion, for example, helps prevent not only "situational crimes", ie opportunistic crimes, but also more serious threats.)

4. They reduce the risks for humans
The robot can serve as eyes for human agents by replacing them in harsh, boring or dangerous environments.

In the event of a physical threat, robots can take human agents out of immediate danger, so that they can concentrate on their intervention without having to worry about protecting themselves. We had a spectacular demonstration of this when robots shot videos in one of the extinct reactors of the Fukushima power station.

5. They are identical
All robots of the same model react rigorously in the same way to the same commands. Having no specific personality, they can differ neither in their type nor in their reaction time

6. They are constantly improving
Research continues to improve the robots, both hardware and software, and the updates allow for continuous improvements, with the best performing platforms being designed to receive regular updates. Of course, the business model of the rental avoids having to worry about ending up with a discontinued model or that is no longer technically supported.

7. They are incorruptible
The robot is not likely to give in to lust, nor can you convince it to close your eyes while you hook a padlock. This is the flipside of defect # 3: their ability to interact with humans is limited, but robots strictly enforce the rules for which they are programmed.

8. They could help address many of the current challenges in the security industry
In a largely labor-based industry, robots could iron out several current challenges, including:

turnover, generally estimated at 60%
absenteeism
the difficulty of recruiting competent and motivated people
requirements that are increasing, because of the volatility of the current situation

Robotics could attract more people ...

In an industry that suffers from a turnover rate of 60%, robotics offers a double potential: first of all to attract a new type of candidate, and then help to overcome the potential problems of labor shortage .

Young people, especially ...

Generation X and Y youth represent more than half of the current potential workforce.

We can assume that for this age group, which has always been immersed in technology, the idea of working with these "terrestrial drones" robots, or even control entire fleets of robots, could have greater appeal traditional guarding activities. The constant and rapid evolution of this sector also promises to offer interesting prospects for development and professional growth.

See more women

To the extent that they reduce the physical risk to security guards, robots could open the door to female labor, so far largely neglected by the industry.

9. They could have a positive effect on the image of the industry and its precursors
It is still too early to say beyond doubt, but the use of this advanced technology that is the robots could help modernize the image of the security industry.

As we said a short time ago, the players who will take the lead will affirm themselves as leaders, innovators, and it's a safe bet that they will attract the attention of the media, which is clean. to arouse the interest of potential customers.

10. They could generate savings and perhaps more
We started this article by talking about the benefits of robots for providing security services "regardless of the financial aspect". From the outset, we dismissed the financial dimension of this article to focus on qualitative benefits.

But this dimension is of course essential to make a decision. Basically, it all depends on the value that is given to the benefits - actual and potential - offered by robots. Some will argue that a robot costs less than an agent, but it's easy to object that they compare tomatoes and oranges.

In some respects, as we have seen, the robot is far superior to humans, without being able to replace them, for example if it is to lend a hand to a person in difficulty or seize an individual collar.

The key, according to Alf Göransson, will be to find the optimal balance between agents and robots.

Savings in sight, and maybe more

According to the Robolliance website, robots will reduce the number of claims and the premiums of insurance policies by triggering alerts in case of leakage of hazardous substances and reducing the risk of theft, vandalism or entry break.

Added to this is the possibility of increased margins due to greater operational efficiency.

To conclude
As with many technologies that seemed like science fiction before becoming part of everyday life, we will gradually get used to - and perhaps faster than we think - interacting with robots and interacting with each other. with them.

In the security industry, the integration of humans and robots will support functional and operational advances that will help security companies respond more effectively to current needs and requirements.