According to The Guardian, the Stanford shopping center in Palo Alto, California is now being patrolled by a Knightscope, an egg-shaped Dalek-like robot that performs routine patrolling. The unit, which while capable of self-preservation does not come equipped with any offensive capabilities, is able to scan license plates, listen for the sound of breaking glass, interact with humans, and besides high-definition infrared cameras, comes equipped with "detection systems that can intercept the pings of mobile phone devices."
All the information is streamed to Knightscope’s cloud software and then streamed back either to the customer’s control center, or in some cases to a mobile app held by a human security guard.
The units cost $7 an hour to rent, which is considerably lower than the going rate for security guards, though Stephens said they were meant as more of an aid to, rather than replacement for, human security.