Building-integrated mobile robot
A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The robot can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. In response to the detected violations, the robot can perform one or more security operations. The robot can include a removable fabric panel, enabling sensors within the robot body to capture signals that propagate through the fabric. In addition, the robot can scan RFID tags of objects within an area, for instance coupled to store inventory. Likewise, the robot can generate or update one or more semantic maps for use by the robot in navigating an area and for measuring compliance with security policies.
1. A mobile robot, comprising:
a motorized base configured to move the mobile robot along a patrol route within a building;
a wireless transceiver configured to communicatively couple to one or more hardware systems of the building;
a housing body storing one or more sensors configured to detect an individual within a proximity of the patrol route; and
a controller configured to:
configure the mobile robot to monitor the detected individual to determine if the detected individual violates one or more security policies; and
in response to determining that the detected individual violates the one or more security policies:
selecting a hardware system of the building external to the mobile robot based on 1) the one or more security policies that are violated by the detected individual and 2) a location of the detected individual within the building;
communicatively coupling, via the wireless transceiver, to the selected hardware system;
performing, using the selected hardware system, one or more first security operations selected based on the one or more security policies that are violated by the detected individual; and
performing, by the mobile robot, one or more second security operations selected based on a result of the one or more first security operations performed using the selected hardware system, wherein at least one of the second security operations is to change a state of the selected hardware system or of a second hardware system of the building.
2. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot is configured to periodically patrol the patrol route.
3. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot is configured to move along the patrol route without input from an operator.
4. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera system.
5. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise an infrared sensor.
6. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the detected individual is determined to violate the one or more security policies if the detected individual is not authorized to be in a location of the detected individual.
7. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the detected individual is determined to violate the one or more security policies if the detected individual is performing an action that the detected individual is not authorized to perform.
8. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the detected individual is determined to violate the one or more security policies if the detected individual is not in possession of proper credentials.
9. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the detected individual is determined to violate the one or more security policies if the detected individual is not recognized by the mobile robot.
10. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the detected individual is determined to violate the one or more security policies if the individual is at a location during a time when the detected individual is not authorized to be at the location.
11. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the hardware system comprises a camera system of the building located external to the mobile robot, and wherein performing the one or more first security operations comprises recording video of the detected individual.
12. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the hardware system comprises one or more doors, and wherein performing the one or more first security operations comprises locking the one or more doors.
13. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the hardware system comprises a central computing system, and wherein performing the one or more first security operations comprises displaying a map of the building to a user of the central computing system and displaying a location on the displayed map of the detected individual.
14. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the hardware system comprises a central computing system, and wherein performing the one or more first security operations comprises instructing security personnel to investigate the detected individual.
15. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the hardware system comprises a second robot, and wherein performing the one or more first security operations comprises instructing the second robot to investigate the detected individual.
16. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first security operations are performed without input from an operator.
17. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein at least one security policy defines a set of individuals, a set of actions that the set of individuals are allowed to perform, and a set of locations in which the set of individuals are allowed.
18. A method, comprising:
moving, by a mobile robot comprising a controller, along a patrol route within a building;
detecting, by a sensor of the mobile robot, an individual within a proximity of the patrol route;
determining, by the mobile robot, if the detected individual violates one or more security policies;
in response to determining that the detected individual violates the one or more security policies:
selecting a hardware system of the building external to the mobile robot based on 1) the one or more security policies that are violated by the detected individual and 2) a location of the detected individual within the building;
communicatively coupling, by the mobile robot, to the selected hardware system of the building;
performing, using the selected hardware system, one or more first security operations selected based on the one or more security policies that are violated by the detected individual; and
performing, by the mobile robot, one or more second security operations selected based on a result of the one or more first security operations performed using the selected hardware system, wherein at least one of the second security operations is to change a state of the selected hardware system or of a second hardware system of the building.