Meet ‘Sparky,’ Old Fourth Ward’s newest security robot [Video]

Artificial intelligence is taking another step forward in crime prevention with the deployment of “Sparky,” a fifth-generation autonomous security robot now patrolling two apartment complexes on Boulevard in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward. The area, historically challenged by crime, is embracing this high-tech addition to its safety measures.

Residents have expressed positive reactions to the robotic patrol. Gloria Swanson, a resident, said, “I think it’s nice. Since they been had it, I haven’t seen any crime committed.”

Developed by Knightscope, a California-based robotics company co-founded by former police officer Stacy Stephens, the robot operates entirely independently. “The robot actually is fully automatic, meaning there is nobody behind it with a remote. It navigates around on its own,” Stephens explained.

Equipped with advanced sensors, Sparky detects and reports unusual activity. “It looks for anomalies using a number of sensors, and when it detects something unusual, it will report that back to an …