In May, we showed you the world’s first robocop in Dubai. Washington D.C. has their own security droid but it appears that it has committed roboticide. The Knightscope K5 security robot, which bears resemblance to droids from “Star Wars,” plunged itself to a watery grave on Monday when it was found face-down and dead in a public water fountain. K5 is survived by his wife Quisenart and his son Johnny 5.
Nearby office worker Bilal Farooqui saw the tragic scene. “Our D.C. office building got a security robot. It drowned itself,” he tweeted. “We were promised flying cars, instead we got suicidal robots.”
Our D.C. office building got a security robot. It drowned itself.
We were promised flying cars, instead we got suicidal robots. pic.twitter.com/rGLTAWZMjn
— Bilal (@bilalfarooqui) July 17, 2017
The K5 droid provided security in the Washington Harbour complex before it committed robocide. The crime-fighting droids are equipped with face-recognition systems, high-def video capture, and infrared sensors to spot criminals. Apparently, the AI on these robots has gotten so advanced that they are having an existential crisis.
https://media.giphy.com/media/bq6F8QYqBU7Yc/giphy.gif
Knightscope, a Silicon Valley start-up, said the suicidal robot was “an isolated event” and it is being investigated. They promised to deliver a new droid for free and even had some humor at the death of their droid.
BREAKING NEWS: "I heard humans can take a dip in the water in this heat, but robots cannot. I am sorry," said K5 in an official statement. pic.twitter.com/nWC4tubv9w
— Knightscope (@iKnightscope) July 18, 2017
Last summer, a Knightscope robot rolled over a 16-month-old boy in Stanford, California.
https://media.giphy.com/media/kcalsHknq6MBW/giphy.gif
As bad as this is, it is still not as monumental of a fuckup as when Omni Consumer Products unveiled their Enforcement Droid Series 209.
The robot probably had a bad motivator.
[NYP]