One-wheeled robot suits up for future security patrol

The self-balancing 1Rollo robot is made to keep an AI eye on propertyRollo Robotics 1/5 The 1Rollo weighs approximately 45 kg (100 lb)Rollo Robotics 2/5 The robot has a claimed battery life of up to eight hours per chargeRollo Robotics 3/5 The 1Rollo has a top speed of 30 km/h (19 mph)Rollo Robotics 4/5 The robot is IP65 waterproof, meaning it can withstand low-pressure jets of water from any directionRollo Robotics 5/5 The self-balancing 1Rollo robot is made to keep an AI eye on propertyRollo Robotics View gallery - 5 images Why pay to design and mass-produce a four-wheeled autonomous security robot, when you can make a less costly one with just one wheel? That's the thinking behind the 1Rollo, a monowheel-bot that could soon be patrolling near you.Currently in functional prototype form, the 1Rollo is being developed by Estonian startup Rollo Robotics.The basic idea is that the AI-enabled robot will roll around its user's property, utilizing both a 360-degree computer vision system and RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) GNSS positioning to autonomously following a predefined map. As it does so, it will use cameras and other sensors both to detect and avoid obstacles, and to "detect anomalies." The 1Rollo has a top speed of 30 km/h (19 mph)Rollo Robotics Should it spot anything fishy, the robot will immediately transmit an alert to a human overseer via 4G/5G or Wi-Fi. That person can then dispatch an actual security guard if needed, although it will also be possible to remotely communicate with people onsite via a built-in speaker and microphone.Utilizing a cloud-based platform, overseers should be able to remotely monitor whole fleets of 1Rollos simultaneously. The robot is IP65 waterproof, meaning it can withstand low-pressure jets of water from any directionRollo Robotics In order to maintain its balance, the robot is equipped with an internal vertically oriented spinning flywheel, that sits inline with its main wheel. Turning left or right is accomplished by tilting that flywheel to either side accordingly. The robot has a top speed of 30 km/h (19 mph) and is claimed to be good for up to eight hours of runtime per battery-charge. The 1Rollo weighs approximately 45 kg (100 lb)Rollo Robotics Rollo Robotics hopes to make the 1Rollo commercially available sometime next year."Rollo will be offered through a Robotics-as-a-Service model, allowing customers to subscribe to the service rather than purchase the hardware," CEO and co-founder Sander Sebastian Agur tells us. "Our goal is to provide autonomous security patrols at a significantly lower operating cost than traditional security solutions, whether that's human guards alone or a combination of guards and patrol vehicles. The subscription model also ensures customers always have access to the latest hardware, software, and support without the upfront capital investment." The World’s First Monowheel Robot: How It Solved the Stability Paradox Source: Rollo Robotics View gallery - 5 images Tags Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.