Knightscope is a Silicon Valley-based innovator in robotics and artificial intelligence technology company designing, building, and deploying crime-fighting Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) used in public areas such as hospitals, casinos, and parking lots by law enforcement and security professionals.
Why is security such a lifelong passion for you, ultimately leading you to develop Knightscope in 2013?
On the professional side, I was an automotive executive, passionate about autonomy and autonomous vehicles; I believe they will dramatically change the multi-trillion-dollar auto industry. However, I disagree with the current path to commercialize the technology. Most efforts are focused on the difficult task of putting a 4,000-pound unmanned vehicle on public roads with very little defined constraints, which is not how engineers solve problems. Our approach is to start with slower speeds, ensuring safety and functionality at each stage.
On the personal side, I was born in New York City and was deeply affected by 9/11 so I decided to dedicate my life to securing our country. My parents emigrated from Colombia and China to the US for better opportunities. This country has provided so much for my family, and working on better securing the nation is my way of giving back.
How do the security threats in the aviation industry pre-2001 compare to the security threats we are experiencing in 2024?
What horrifies me is the country's inadequate setup to solve security problems since 9/11. There is a tragic division of responsibilities at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the private sector, with separate jurisdictions, budgets, and responsibilities, which creates inefficiencies. The Department of Defense handles military operations outside our borders, while the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have no federal jurisdiction over around 19,000 law enforcement agencies and around 8,000 private security firms. This lack of unified leadership and strategy means there is no accountability when things go wrong. The private sector, including Knightscope, needs to step up to fill these gaps.
Despite significant spending on security, the focus on aviation is misplaced. The TSA spends millions securing the area before the gate, neglecting the parking structures, curbs, and roads leading to the facility. Proper security requires multiple layers, including cameras, lasers, humans, gates, and more.
In reality, from 2001 to now, the approach has not fundamentally changed. Everyone is working in their own box.
Given Knightscope’s goal to ’make the US the safest country in the world’, what policies would you want to see implemented to achieve this??
To understand why things happen, you need to follow the money. To secure the country properly, appropriate taxpayer funding is necessary, as the first role of government is to protect its citizens. Imagine if the US became the safest country tomorrow. Trade deficits, municipal budgets, financial market volatility, insurance rates, home values, and local business viability would all improve. This vision is achievable with over a million machines providing smart eyes and ears for law enforcement. However, this requires support from the public and a reimagining of public safety.
Can you tell us about the features of Knightscope’s robots, and how they operate in an airport setting?
We aim to provide profound situational awareness with our robots, gathering data on thermal temperatures, license plates, people, vehicles, and conditions. With only two and a half million officers and guards nationwide, physical staffing at every location 24/7 is impractical. Robots can provide a massive upgrade to human capabilities by running 24/7 without needing breaks. Our machines also provide a physical deterrence. A marked law enforcement vehicle or a large machine with strobe lights changes criminal behavior simply by being present. Clients renewing our services for up to eight years prove that our technology works.
In the long-term, we aim to detect nefarious activities and pathogens. Technologies like a dog's nose on a silicon chip can sniff out various threats. Automatic Criminal Detection Capability (ACDC) can alert authorities to felons or sexual predators on school premises or individuals with outstanding warrants at airports. Security at private airports is minimal, and our robots can significantly improve it.
You became a publicly traded company in 2022 trading on NASDAQ under the ticket KSCP. What are your ambitions for the next 2-5 years?
Ultimately, our robots should be in every airport, both public and private. It will become as essential as smoke detectors in buildings. If community leaders, aviation officials, and others value safety, they should use the most advanced technologies available. At just $0.75 to $9 an hour, our robots offer an affordable and effective security solution. For airports, we are targeting parking structures where security guards cannot effectively monitor thousands of parking spots. Better securing outside locations is a key use case.
