Vicor's High Density Power Modules Enable Sharp AI-Based Surveillance Networks to Stop Crime
The concept of automated surveillance started out as science fiction years ago but today Knightscope, Inc. has made it a reality and its results can already be seen in cities.
Knightscope, Inc, a public safety technology services company founded in 2013, was the first in the world to install mobile fully autonomous (ASR) security robots in public spaces such as shopping malls, parking lots and neighborhood parks. Knightscope's goal was to find a more effective way to stop crime with minimal risk to law enforcement.
Knightscope's insights are based on a combination of robotics, autonomous driving technology, vehicle electrification and artificial intelligence. This combination allows for an agile platform into which many types of sensing capabilities and other technologies can be integrated to provide actionable intelligence.
How to increase surveillance capacity with ASR
ASRs are equipped to inspect for known threats, enabling companies to reduce workplace violence by identifying employees who have been fired or have been placed under restraining orders. ASRs also offer security in car parks by monitoring exceptions and identifying license plates of cars outside the building.
Thanks to their audio function, ASRs provide two-way communication allowing the robots to act as a broadcast-capable public address system. This allows them to contact offenders to de-escalate in hostile situations.
Efficient consumption is paramount for ASRs
The intense level of processing, communications, and sensing places a huge load on ASR power networks, which must be compact and achieve high efficiency. Since ASRs have no airflow or ventilation, Knightscope had to look for a pure conduction cooling solution that uses the aluminum cladding as a heat sink. The company turned to a Vicor DC/DC converter module (DCM3623) because its unique ChiP™ package was thermally ideal and very small. The DCM's power density also helped with connections, cabling, and increased battery efficiency, performance, and range.
From an electrical point of view, the robot needed isolation from the different power rails. Since there are so many sensors with different types of electromagnetic interference (EMI), Vicor's DCM™ helped minimize the level of EMI and noise interference.
“The more we are able to reduce the load on the battery, the longer we get,” says Stacey Stephens, Knightscope Co-Founder and Chief Client Officer. “That is why you always have to take consumption into account. Ultimately, all of this will help us meet the company's goal: that when an architect plans a commercial project or a mixed-use space, we are part of the security along with smoke detectors and fire suppression systems.” .
Looks like there's a new sheriff in town and his name is Knightscope.
