Industry News
Ring's Rover Cam security patrol robot for businesses ships Dec. 16
Ring will ship a security patrol robot for businesses on Dec. 16 at about $1,000. What the Rover Cam does, and what it means for guard companies.
Ring, the doorbell camera company, announced on Nov. 10 a wheeled security patrol robot for businesses, the Rover Cam, priced at about $1,000 and shipping Dec. 16, TechCrunch reported. It drives set routes on a schedule, streams video and lets someone talk to people on site.
Key points#
- The Rover Cam costs about $1,000 and ships Dec. 16, TechCrunch reported.
- It follows set routes on set schedules inside a business and can record when it detects a person, according to TechCrunch.
- Its camera sits on a telescoping mast to see over counters and shelves, and it has a siren, lights and two-way audio, The Register reported.
- The robot maps the inside of the building and suggests patrol areas that users can change in the app, according to The Register.
What the robot does#
The Rover Cam streams and records video in up to 4K while it moves, makes 360-degree scans and can respond to alerts from other connected Ring devices, The Register reported. Ring launched it with a home security drone, the outlet said.
Ring described the two products together as "like having a guard on patrol who never clocks out," TechCrunch reported.
The open questions#
The robots use Amazon's cloud, which raises questions about what video and floor plan data Amazon can see and keep, The Register reported. Ring did not answer the outlet's question about floor plan security.
The robot is sold as a camera that patrols and alerts. A camera on wheels can see and sound an alarm. It cannot stop a person, call for help with judgment or write a report that holds up for a client.
What it means for your company#
- Expect clients to ask. Low-cost patrol robots will come up in contract talks. Be ready to explain what an officer does that a camera cannot.
- Sell the response, not only the watching. Clients pay for someone who acts when an alarm goes off. Show them your guard tours and how fast your officers respond.
- Offer to work with the tools. Some clients will buy cameras and robots anyway. Write in your post orders who checks an alert and how it is recorded.
- Show the proof. Records of patrols and incident reports that clients can see are a strong answer when a client asks about robots.
- Mind privacy rules. Recording on a client's site is covered by local and state law, so check with an attorney before you add new cameras.
Guardix is software for security companies that records guard tours, incident reports and what clients see in the client portal.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the Ring Rover Cam?#
It is a wheeled robot for businesses that patrols set routes on a schedule, streams video and has two-way audio, TechCrunch reported. It costs about $1,000 and ships Dec. 16.
Can a patrol robot replace a security guard?#
The reports describe a camera that patrols and alerts, not a robot that can respond in person. Guard companies can treat it as a tool on a client's site, with an officer still deciding what to do when it raises an alarm.
Sources#
- Robots
- Technology
- Patrols