Memphis' Peabody hotel turns to robot to provide security. Meet the K5 ASR.

Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·2 min read
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If you are staying or parking at the Peabody hotel, you may notice something new roaming around the parking deck.

The historic Memphis landmark has recently begun using a security robot to help monitor the parking areas of the hotel. This robot is intended to keep the rising crime in Memphis away from the hotel and its guests.

The autonomous machine runs 24-7 and recharges itself without human involvement.

Here's what to know about the Peabody's latest security investment.

What does the Peabody robot do?

Knightscopem, a developer of autonomous security robots, recently announced the deployment of a K5 Autonomous Security Robot at the historic Memphis Peabody Hotel.
Knightscopem, a developer of autonomous security robots, recently announced the deployment of a K5 Autonomous Security Robot at the historic Memphis Peabody Hotel.

The robot, K5 ASR, is designed to patrol the hotel's parking areas and notify staff of potential threats. It detects individuals during restricted hours and has license plate recognition.

It has 360-degree video, four cameras, microphones, pre-recorded messages, and more. It stands at 64.6 inches tall and weighs 420 pounds. It is weatherproof and moves at 3 miles per hour.

According to Knightscope, areas where the K5 ASR has been used have seen a 46% reduction in crime rates and a 27% increase in arrests.

Why is the Peabody hotel using a robot for security?

Just two months ago, a hotel valet attendant was accused of stealing guns out of vehicles. The K5 ASR is expected to prevent incidents like this and reassure guests that their vehicles are safe while parked.

The robot comes as the Memphis experiences a trend of rising violent and property crime.

Stolen vehicles and thefts from cars are one of the major drivers of increased property crime. According to a Memphis Police Department presentation in October, 4,179 cars were reported stolen from July to September this year, a 22% increase from that time frame in 2022, and 2,586 cars were broken into, about a 4% increase from 2022.

Who is the company that produces the Peabody robot?

The robot is owned by the company Knightscope. The company specializes in autonomous data robots for monitoring malls, parking lots, neighborhoods and other public areas. The company is based in Mountain View, California and was first founded in 2013

Jordan Green covers trending news for the USAToday Network. She can be reached via email at jordan.Green@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter/X @_green_jordan_.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Peabody Hotel hires robot to provide security for guests