Cobalt takes the wraps off its indoor security robots

Palo Alto-based Cobalt Robotics Inc. today introduced a new line of robot security guards for indoor use. The roving robots use the same kind of components you'd expect in a self-driving car to sense people and problems in a building. Cofounders Travis Deyle and Erik Schluntz, who are former GoogleX and SpaceX engineers, say they designed the robots to complement, not replace, human security guards. Altogether, Cobalt's robo-guards pack 60 sensors, including lidar, ultrasound, depth sensors and cameras, as well as wide angle day and night cameras to detect people around them. They also include mics and two-way video chat screens that allow human security guards or building managers to remotely interact with a person who the robot approaches.