With new security robot, Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward gets ‘spunky’

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – People living in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward have noticed a new security officer patrolling the streets… and the fact that it’s not a person at all.

“Spunky,” said Brenda, a nearby resident at Station 464 Apartments. “His name is Spunky.”

Spunky patrols the sidewalks in front of Station 464 & 496 Apartments on Boulevard NE, a busy road that’s seen an uptick in crime over the past six months.

“Yes, it’s needed,” Brenda said. “It’s very much needed.”

Spunky is actually a K-5 robot created by Knightscope.

“I love that they came up with Spunky,” said Knightscope Executive Vice President Stacy Stephens upon hearing the name. “He’s our fifth generation.”

Listed on the depth chart as weighing over 400 pounds and standing at 5′6,″ Spunky acts much like a person with a 2.5-hour battery life.

“We as humans have five senses we use to navigate our daily lives,” Stephens said. “The robot coincidentally has five sensors to navigate through its life.”

That includes sensors to navigate and recognize anomalies, where it can record the surrounding area, notify police of problems, and even give basic commands.

“Yes, it’s going to engage and interact with people,” Stephens said. “It’s not, however, like a Siri or Alexa, where you’re going to sit there and have a conversation with it.”

And it’s not going to keep the pod bay doors closed. (Sorry, Hal).

Spunky has been on patrol for only a month, but the reviews are positive.

“Well, I would give him a 10 out of 10,” Brenda said. “It’s 100% safer.”

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