Asylon’s DroneDog™ Featured on Arizona’s Family News for Automated Security Patrols

Anchor 1: A high-tech robot is adding an extra layer of security at businesses all around the country.

Anchor 2: So this is combining AI technology and human expertise to track down security threats. This is very interesting. New on This Morning, Susan Campbell is here to show us how the DroneDog works. That’s the actual name — the DroneDog.

Susan Campbell (Reporter): That is the name. It sounds really cool. It is really cool. So this is covered in sensors and it does automated patrols. It’s the size of a dog, even has some of the same mannerisms. And this dog is full of tricks.

Susan (voiceover): Drone dogs on patrol at a warehouse in Waddell. 

Ryan Hodgens (Asylon): It’s doing all of those checks — gates, doors, locks — looking for people in places where they shouldn’t be. 

Susan: How many miles has this robot patrolled at just this site?

Ryan: This robot has patrolled thousands of miles just in this yard.

Susan (voiceover): Asylon’s Ryan Hodgens says there are robots like this all over the country, patrolling places like distribution centers and manufacturing plants. When they’re on patrol, they provide live video feeds to a monitoring center in Pennsylvania, where people are watching.

Ryan: We can stop the robot in one place, move the camera over, zoom in 40x onto a door to inspect it. We can, if we’re operating at night, switch over to thermal as well to easily detect heat signatures.

Susan (voiceover): This technology is used at big events too.

Ryan: For example, out at the Indy 500, we’re operating with a chemical gas detection sensor integrated on board the robot underneath the tunnel system.

Susan (voiceover): From tunnels to stairs, it can navigate all kinds of obstacles thanks to 20 or so sensors that are built in.

Ryan: There’s a lot of engineering work that’s gone into the stability piece here. So in terms of maintaining its ability to stay upright around curves, up and over gravel and uneven terrain here — the stability is truly unmatched with this robot. 

Susan: Every single joint moves independently.

Ryan: It does, yep. 

Susan (voiceover): Those movements sometimes mimic an animal so well you almost forget he’s a robot.

Susan: He’s ready to go. You did it. You feel like it’s real.

Ryan: You do. Each one kind of has their own personality.

Susan: Are there privacy concerns with something like this that is live streaming images?

Ryan: Yeah, absolutely. So in terms of privacy, think of it like another camera here. This camera here just happens to have four legs.

Susan (voiceover): And a 90-minute battery life. Then it’s back to the DogHouse to recharge and rest up for the next patrol. 

Susan: Ryan says there is a speaker on DroneDog so it can talk to people in its path, either with a prerecorded message or live communication. 

Anchor 2: Oh my gosh.

Anchor 1: That’s cool.

Susan: It was cool to see it in action. Honestly, when it came up to me the first time, I wanted to reach out and pet it, because it does feel so realistic. It feels kind of lifelike, and you have to remind yourself — no, no, no, there’s a person who’s watching all of these sensors, and kind of giggling to probably themselves, while I’m wanting to pet a robot.

Anchor 1: That was amazing that you couldn’t tip it over.

Anchor 2: I know! My first question to you — you can just knock it out.

Susan: The stability is incredible. And the thing to keep in mind, this isn’t supposed to go after bad guys. It’s just supposed to give a lay of the land, extra information, so we can deploy people to handle any threats.

Anchor 2: So is this something that’s only available for big businesses like this, or is this something that eventually could be available to have in your own home?

Susan: I think right now they’re focused on the businesses. They’re focused on these huge events — DNC, RNC, Inauguration, Indy 500. So it’s kind of an extra set of eyes watching.

Anchor 1: It’s pretty good at push-ups, too. Alright, thanks, Susan.