Lost in Space Robot & Will Robinson
Move over, Will Robinson, and meet, Vigilant MCP (mobile camera platform), the new security robot that may shortly be assuming the role of night watchman in a business near you.
Vigilant MCP
What seemed to be purely fiction in movies, such as Lost in Space, may become a reality very soon.
These robots, designed by Denver-based Gamma 2 Robotics, will soon be available, commercially, around the world.
All robot manufacturing, according to Factor, will be done entirely in the United States. Mass production is expected as popularity and demand grows for this once only dreamt about technology.
Activists protest this development stating that, “While debate continues to rage about the threat of autonomous “killer robots,” the mechanized replacement of humans continues across the workforce,” reported Activist Post. “In fact, the robotics industry notched record sales in the first half of 2014 in North America, and there appears to be no indication of a slowdown.”
The Robot has a digital camera and many sensors that allow it to detect the presence of intruders. An alarm will be activated and an alert sent out. The Vigilant MCP will also be able to create heat maps to monitor cooling systems.
The Vigilant won’t call in sick, won’t be late to work and won’t quit their jobs, reports Gamma 2 Robotics. To many businesses, such as retailers, warehouses, and just about any business seeking night security, the Vigilant MCP is a welcomed solution. Also being cost-effective, the Vigilant will save employers from costly drug screenings and background checks.
Not everyone is thrilled, however, with the prospect of robots in our workforce. “At $4 per hour fixed cost, it could significantly impact the 1.5 million humans that are currently employed in some form of security patrol,” stated Activist Post.
“For professional security workers, the robot could pose a major threat to employment, as it offers key improvements for employers over flesh and blood workers.”
“For now, this model is slated to fulfill typical night watchman duties. However, it continues to highlight how the low operating cost of bots is bound to replace entire sectors of the economy while opening the door for yet another potentially dystopian scenario of weaponized patrol that is given increasingly free rein to operate without even minimal human oversight.”
While many are jumping for joy at the possibilities the Vigilant MCP and the implications of future advances in this field, others are horrified that the developments in robotic engineering are jeopardizing human jobs, especially those fields that employ low-skilled individuals.
“The numbers affected at present appear small, although no comprehensive data is available on this at present, but over time job loss to robots could become a major economic concern,” stated Factor.
See how the Vigilant MCP works in this video.
By Lorra B. Chief Writer for Silent Soldier
The Silent Soldier 