Tag Archive for: reallife

Real-life nonviolent ‘RoboCops’ hitting the streets of NYC in city safety overhaul 

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It’s not just science fiction anymore.

Several nonviolent, real-life “RoboCops” are hitting the streets of New York City, as Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD unveiled the latest technological upgrade for New York’s Finest.

The new devices — resembling, in many ways, the bots typically seen in sci-fi classics such as the 1987 action movie — are replete with new GPS gadgets, and include the return of a robot dog that the mayor said is “out of the pound” after being retired in 2021 due to outrage from advocates. 

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced the three new additions on April 11 in what she called a pilot program that includes large security robots that somewhat resemble Daleks from the popular British Television series Doctor Who; a robot dog that officials say will be instrumental in dealing with explosives; and a GPS gun that like a James Bond gadget is used to shoot a tracking device onto the back of a fleeing vehicle. 

“To safeguard our modern city and a forward-looking world it is essential that our officers are equipped with the tools, training and technology necessary to do that job safely and effectively,” Sewell said. “The NYPD has always stepped forward. In every era, we have maximized public and officer safety through emerging technology. And that approach continues today.”

The large, wheeled robot is dubbed the K-5 autonomous security robot and is equipped with a camera. The technology is being leased by the NYPD and will be used inside areas, such as in transit as well as outdoors.

K-five autonomous security robot resembles a Dalek from the TV Show Dr. Who. Photo by Dean Moses
K-five autonomous security robot resembles a Dalek from the TV Show Dr. Who.Photo by Dean Moses

According to Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, these machines are equipped with artificial intelligence to provide real time incident notifications to first responders. These robots are also being used on college campuses and shopping malls throughout the country, he added.

The second and perhaps most controversial piece of kit is the “Digidog,” a four-legged android that police say will be invaluable when dealing with hostage situations, bomb threats, or…

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Real-Life Robot Takes Over Security Guards at Theme Parks, Orlando’s Next

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Could you imagine robots taking over Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando Resort? Well, it seems that robocops patrolling theme parks is not something that is too far off. Six Flags Texas has begun to use a new robot security technology that involves a real-life robot patrolling the Park. Six Flags Magic Mountain is set to bring the robot to their Park next in California, but the company who created the bot is eyeing Disney and Universal next.

Six Flags Magic Mountain
Credit: Six Flags Magic Mountain

When Guests visit theme parks, they often expect to see characters that they can meet and greet! When at Disney, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Tiana, Belle, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and many more. At Six Flags, Guests flock to Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Toon gang. Now, however, there is a new pal in town.

mickey mouse in front of cinderella castle
Credit: Disney

Related: Looking to Avoid Extra Security Screening at Disney World? Do This!

Fortune reported that “A robotic security guard named ROAMEO (Rugged Observation Assistance Mobile Electronic Officer) makes its debut at Six Flags Over Texas this week in Arlington. Another will begin patrolling Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., next week.” With Six Flags Magic Mountian implementing their Flash Pass, a pay per ride system much like Disney Genie+.

The publication continued to outline the massive robot:

The 6.5-foot, 750-pound autonomous officer looks more like the illegitimate offspring of Wall-E and Baymax than Robocop. It’s equipped with cameras, a touch screen, speakers, and a two-way communication system. And listed among its abilities is recognizing when people are in restricted areas and determining when they’re not wearing face masks.

It can also provide information on ride wait times and tell people how to get to certain attractions. It will not, however, directly respond to infractions.

Robot security
Credit: RAD

Related: Disney Guests Forced to Wait In INSANE Security Line, Stretches Into Parking Lot

Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD), the company behind ROAMEO will have 100 robots patrolling theme parks by the end of the year, and are reportedly set to enter the Orlando theme park sphere this year as well. It was not noted which of the three parks…

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Veracode Hacker Games challenges university students to hack and patch real-life apps online

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Veracode announced the launch of the Veracode Hacker Games. The two-week collegiate competition will challenge computer science and cybersecurity student teams from eight leading universities across the U.S. and the U.K., including University of Virginia, Tufts and University of Warwick, to test their secure coding skills and give them the opportunity to win individual prizes, plus $15,000 in charitable donations for the top universities.

“With mounting pressure on developers to deliver software that is secure and keeps society safe from harmful cyberattacks, gaining foundational security knowledge translates to fewer exploitable problems during production and after deployment,” said Chris Wysopal, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Veracode.

“Yet, training around secure coding is almost absent at the university level. We’ve launched The Veracode Hacker Games to help universities make secure coding a core part of their computer science and cybersecurity curriculum, while giving students an edge when it comes to putting their skills to the test in a real-world environment.”

Industry research paints a picture of the skills gap

By empowering the next generation of software developers to write secure code at the start of the development cycle, organizations will be able to better manage their risk profile.

  • Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, now attacking every 39 seconds according to a recent study by the University of Maryland.
  • According to IBM, the average total cost of a data breach for a company is nearly four million USD.
  • Currently, only 3 percent of U.S. bachelor’s degree graduates have cybersecurity-related skills (National Center for Education Statistics) and in the UK only five undergraduate computer science degrees are certified by the UK’s National Cyber Security Center for cyber security content (National Cyber Security Center).

Ming Chow, Associate Teaching Professor, Tufts University, said, “As educators, our job is to ensure the next generation is fully prepared for the challenges they will face in their careers.

“In this case, software development and security need to become tightly integrated from the start. The Hacker Games…

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A real-life armed robbery of an online Bitcoin exchange

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Suspects thumb

The criminals left empty-handed. Which, let’s face it, is probably the likely outcome for many Bitcoin investors too.

Graham Cluley