KnightScope deal means Verizon will join a fleet of autonomous public security robots
ASHBURN, Virginia—Stacy Stephens was watching the Sandy Hook faculty capturing unfold on tv in 2012 and listening to his pal William Li get more and more agitated about why officers had been taking so lengthy to go contained in the constructing and confront the shooter. Stephens, who has a background in regulation enforcement, needed to clarify the explanations for such a delay: with no concept the place a gunman was, in a big constructing, police had been at a drawback. What officers wanted was eyes and ears inside a constructing to realize actionable intelligence that may assist them counter the gunman’s tactical benefit.
Watching that tragedy unfold and attempting to determine find out how to get regulation enforcement that sort of actionable intelligence quicker, was what spurred the 2 companions to type public security know-how firm Knightscope. The California-based firm affords linked emergency callboxes, gunshot detection and in addition designed a cell, autonomous public security robotic with capabilities that should replicate human senses: cameras, thermal imaging and facial recognition for visuals, audio and calling capabilities for broadcasting public messages or for use as a transferring name field, lidar for sensing at a distance, sonar for up-close sensing, GPS for orientation and path and wheel sensors for maneuverability and stability.
Knightscope has an present deployed base of about 10,000 units, which principally consists of its wirelessly linked name packing containers—however the firm additionally has a deployed fleet of its autonomous public security robots, which might patrol parking tons, malls, loading docks, out of doors utility installations and different such situations that for individuals, would imply hours of boring work that nonetheless places fixed stress on human attentiveness.
“In case you inform a human, ‘Hey, go drive by means of that car parking zone for eight hours a day’—that’s a horrible job. No person needs to do this,” mentioned Stephens, who’s EVP and chief consumer officer of Knightscope. The Knightscope K5 cell autonomous public security robotic affords an alternate: The robots may be deployed singly or in teams, on pre-defined patrols, and may detect issues resembling individuals in locations or at occasions once they shouldn’t be there, warmth that may sign equipment points or a fireplace, and so forth.
Verizon Frontline is connecting these units, offering prioritized connectivity to ensure that the units are capable of join when and the place they should.
At a showcase occasion exterior a Verizon workplace in Ashburn, Virginia, the K5 (the fifth technology of Knightscope’s robotic) trundled alongside leisurely on its 4 wheels inside a brief demo house with floor-to-ceiling home windows. The robotic’s design has developed over time, from a extra cone-like form that Stephens compares to the Weeble Wobble toy, to 1 with a barely wider base.
It stands 65 inches tall and practically 4 toes facet, with a weight of greater than 400 kilos, and strikes at a “strolling velocity” charge of roughly 1-3 miles per hour. For the reason that robotic first debuted on Star Wars Day in 2025, its cameras have shifted larger as a way to higher seize individuals’s faces if they’re near it. Its crisp white and black colour scheme had been impressed by the house shuttle Discovery, with blue lights lining the glossy curves of its back and front. Knightscope affords its options as-a-service relatively than promoting the robots, so it upgrades its total fleet because it improves upon its design.
Stephens steps into the K5’s path as he speaks. The robotic pauses, then adjustments its path to maneuver round him. When he locations a hand on it, it stops instantly—because it does when he slams a hand on its shiny, plastic shell.
Verizon mentioned in a launch that the collaboration with Knightscope to attach its public security robots “marks a big development in autonomous safety know-how.”
“Verizon is dedicated to enhancing public security by offering seamless and safe connectivity to the newest in autonomous safety know-how,” mentioned Tom Lengthy, an affiliate director for Verizon’s federal enterprise, in a press release. “Our partnership with Knightscope is a testomony to the significance of safe, dependable connectivity in serving to safeguard public areas, and we stay up for additional elevating these capabilities by means of 5G integration.”
The general public security robotic is designed to patrol giant out of doors areas, from hospital and faculty campuses to a lot and property perimeters. Knightscope holds a Federal Threat and Authorization Administration Program (FedRAMP) Reasonable Authority to Function (ATO) designation from the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs, and Verizon mentioned that the K5’s potential to patrol out of doors areas even in excessive climate make it “well-suited for securing authorities services.”
At present, the general public security robots are outfitted with 4G connectivity, however Verizon mentioned that there are plans to combine 5G “within the close to future.” Knightscope additionally has a minimum of one new type issue within the works, with the shows exhibiting pictures of a smaller, extra smoothly-moving K7 prototype that appears like a robotic car, with 4 giant wheels. It’s geared toward patrolling extra rugged terrain resembling airport or jail perimeters, or worldwide borders.
Verizon added that its partnership with Knightscope is the newest milestone within the its push to to function the go-to know-how associate for the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs. The telco gained a part of a virtually $450 million nine-year enlargement
“With Verizon’s connectivity, Knightscope’s autonomous safety robots are remodeling security and safety for organizations just like the VA,” mentioned Knightscope CEO William Santana Li. “Moreover, Verizon is enabling Knightscope to supply one-touch entry to companies resembling police, fireplace, and EMS at hospitals, universities, and company campuses in occasions of hazard, private disaster, or medical emergencies.”
Verizon’s partnership with Knightscope is the newest milestone within the firm’s efforts to function the go-to know-how associate for the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs. Final yr, Verizon was awarded a part of a $448.3 million, nine-year enlargement contract with VA medical facilities and well being care services to produce cell units and mission-critical emergency communications by means of Verizon Frontline.
“Verizon has a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs, together with connecting the primary absolutely 5G-connected hospital on the VA facility in Palo Alto and the VA Video Join telehealth service, which offers over 80,000 veterans with free, limitless entry to well being care consultations,” mentioned Maggie Hallbach, SVP Public Sector at Verizon, mentioned on the time.