A security robot in Washington, D.C., “drowned” Monday afternoon after falling into a fountain.
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 Farooqui (@bilalfarooqui) July 17, 2017
It’s ok security robot. It’s a stressful job, we’ve all been there. pic.twitter.com/LQbnntbCRm
—Sparkle Ops(@SparkleOps) July 17, 2017
Knightscope, a Silicon Valley startup, said in a statement that the incident was under investigation and it was an “isolated event,” reported The Washington Post. The company also pointed out that no one was hurt and promised to deliver a new robot.
According to the Knightscope website, the robot is designed to “provide a commanding but friendly physical security presence,” and to “alert proper authorities when a concern is detected.” If it detects anomalies, it makes a sound intended to dissuade criminals and others from causing further trouble.
Knightscope later tweeted the robot “just wanted to enjoy summer.”
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
The robot’s watery demise was not the first time the robot had run into trouble. Last year the robot collided with and injured a toddler in Palo Alto, California.
16 mo old has injuries to leg, foot after @StanfordShop security robot knocks him down and runs him over. #paloalto pic.twitter.com/tJdDNeFJq1
— Lilian Kim (@liliankim7) July 12, 2016
The robot also was “assaulted” in April by a drunk man in Mountain View, California. “The ‘assault’ was detected and immediately reported,” vice president of marketing and sales, Stacy Dean Stephens, told CNET, “The robot did exactly as it was supposed to do.”
