KnightScope deal means Verizon will join a fleet of autonomous public security robots
ASHBURN, Virginia—Stacy Stephens was watching the Sandy Hook faculty taking pictures unfold on tv in 2012 and listening to his buddy William Li get more and more agitated about why officers have 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 have been at a drawback. What officers wanted was eyes and ears inside a constructing to realize actionable intelligence that might assist them counter the gunman’s tactical benefit.
Watching that tragedy unfold and attempting to determine the best way 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 gives linked emergency callboxes, gunshot detection and likewise 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 shifting name field, lidar for sensing at a distance, sonar for up-close sensing, GPS for orientation and route and wheel sensors for maneuverability and stability.
Knightscope has an current deployed base of about 10,000 gadgets, which principally consists of its wirelessly linked name containers—however the firm additionally has a deployed fleet of its autonomous public security robots, which might patrol parking heaps, malls, loading docks, outside utility installations and different such situations that for folks, would imply hours of boring work that nonetheless places fixed strain on human attentiveness.
“In the event 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 one needs to try this,” mentioned Stephens, who’s EVP and chief shopper officer of Knightscope. The Knightscope K5 cell autonomous public security robotic gives an alternate: The robots may be deployed singly or in teams, on pre-defined patrols, and might detect issues akin to folks in locations or at occasions once they shouldn’t be there, warmth that may sign equipment points or a hearth, and so forth.
Verizon Frontline is connecting these gadgets, offering prioritized connectivity to ensure that the gadgets 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 era of Knightscope’s robotic) trundled alongside leisurely on its 4 wheels inside a short lived 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 almost 4 toes aspect, 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 greater with the intention to higher seize folks’s faces if they’re near it. Its crisp white and black shade scheme have been impressed by the house shuttle Discovery, with blue lights lining the glossy curves of its back and front. Knightscope gives its options as-a-service fairly 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 modifications 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 an announcement. “Our partnership with Knightscope is a testomony to the significance of safe, dependable connectivity in serving to safeguard public areas, and we look ahead to additional elevating these capabilities by means of 5G integration.”
The general public security robotic is designed to patrol giant outside areas, from hospital and school campuses to plenty and property perimeters. Knightscope holds a Federal Threat and Authorization Administration Program (FedRAMP) Average Authority to Function (ATO) designation from the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs, and Verizon mentioned that the K5’s skill to patrol outside areas even in excessive climate make it “well-suited for securing authorities services.”
Presently, the general public security robots are geared up with 4G connectivity, however Verizon mentioned that there are plans to combine 5G “within the close to future.” Knightscope additionally has not less than one new type issue within the works, with the shows exhibiting photographs of a smaller, extra smoothly-moving K7 prototype that appears like a robotic automobile, with 4 giant wheels. It’s aimed toward patrolling extra rugged terrain akin to 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 an almost $450 million nine-year growth
“With Verizon’s connectivity, Knightscope’s autonomous safety robots are reworking 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 providers akin to 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 growth contract with VA medical facilities and well being care services to provide cell gadgets 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 gives 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.
