The Robolliance is Dead

By Dan Gelinas, Published on Oct 01, 2018

The Robolliance has died.

rip robolliance 2

Formed 2 years ago to fanfare, the robots-focused marketing machine is no more, having slipped quietly away sometime in the first half of 2018. When originally launched IPVM covered that the Robolliance, if not actual robots, had arrived.

The past 2 years have been rocky for robots, primarily around (non-Robolliance member) Knightscope, who has drawn significant attention and criticism.

IPVM spoke with Sharp, the founder of the Alliance, PSA, the main promoter of the alliance, a competitor who considered the Robolliance a 'sham' and multiple companies bullish about the future of security robots.

  • Look At What Happened To the Robolliance
  • Feedback From Alliance's Backers And Leaders
  • Tracing The Last Days
  • Discuss The Outlook For Robots In The Industry Today

What ******** ** *** ********?

**** ***** **** *****, the ******* ****** *** backer, ***** **** *** Security *******, ** *** Robolliance:

***** *** ************ *** Robotics ******* ** *** US. **** ******** *** Intellos ******* *** *********** marketing ******* ... ********* the ******** ** *** Sharp ***** *** ******** program (********* *** ******** product *** *********** ********* program): ***** *** ******** been ******** ** ******* [link ** ****** *********]. As **** *** ***** multi-national ************ ******* ***** a *** ** **** carefully ********* ***** *** and ******** ******* ********* as **** ** ***** they ****** ** **** the ***** ****** *****-******* business *** **********. ** was ******* **** *****/******* would ** ******** ** other ********** *** **** particular ******** *** *** in **** **** **** new ******.

*************** ***** ** ******** 2016.

***** **** ******* *** discussion **** **** **** from ******** *&* *** focused ** *** ********* benefits ********:

*** ******** ********* ** the ******* *** ** shine * ********* ** the ************* *** ******** of ********** ********. ****** it *** ***** ******** to ** ** *********** program, ** ******* ** achieved **** ****.

***** *** *** **** do *** **** *******'* decision ** *** ********* and *** *********** ********* badly ** *** ******** for ****** ** *** security ********:

** ** ***********, *** a ******* ** ***** technology ******** **** ***** types ** ********* ********* must ** ****. **** decision ** ** ** way * ********** ** our ******* *** ******* in *** ********* *** this ******** *** ******, but ****** ** ******** business ********** ******** ** focus ** ***** ***** of ******* ******** *********** that ***** **** *** new ******* ********* *** vision.

Tracing *** **** ****

** ** ****, ** looked **** *** *********** was ***** ****** **** that ****** *******, ****** ** * ***-*** West ** ******** *********** ******** *** ***** below:

*******, * **** *****, signs ** * ****** began ** ****. ***, the *********** ******* *****.***********.************ *******'* **** *******. * ****** ****** for "***********" ******* ** interesting ******* ** ******** Sales & ***********,*** *********** ******. *** **** *********: "This *** ********* ****** feature, *********** ******, **** offer ********* ******* ******** by *******-****** ******* ** explore *** ****** ** the ********** ******** ***********." Robolliance ********* *** ****** ** December ** ****:

*** ********* *** * ****** up ** ***** ** 2018:

** ***** *** **** a ** **** *******.

Bill ******* (*** ******** *******)

**** ***** ******* ******** **************** *** *** **** Bozeman [**** ** ****** available] ***** **** **** wrong:

*** ***** *********** ****’* go **** ****. ** when ***** ********** *****'* go **** ****, *** news ******* **** ******** ... ** ******* *** leadership ** *** ******** is ************. **’* *** nature ** ******** ... We’re *** *** **** takers. ******** ** *** the ***** ** **** a ******.

******* *** **** ***** to ***** **** *****'* assessment **** **** ********* was *** * ****-****:

* ***** ******* **’* a ****** ** ****, not **. **** ** not *****, *** ** were ****** *** **** thing ***** ************* **** years *** *** ** were ****** "** ****** going ** ****?" *** now ** ****. ***** about **** *********. ******** integration ** ******* ********. It ***’* ******** *** of *** ******** *** other ********** ** ******* robotics ... *** ***** security ** ** *********. We’re *** **** **** smarter ** **** **** dumber **** ***** **********. It **** ****** **. It’s **** * ****** of ****. *** ****** to *** *********** ** the ****: *** *********. Just **** **** *****. Get ** *** ***** edge.

Mike ******* (******** **** *****'* ******** ******** *********)

**** ******* [**** ** longer *********] *** *****'* former ******** ***** ********, Robotics ********* *-*** ***** June ** ****. **'* been ******* ******** ******** at **** ******* ***** June ****. ******* ***** with **** ***** ****** and *** **** **** of ********* ** *****:

*'* **** ******* ** the ****** ** ******** in ********. *** ***** product **** ***** ******* to *** ********, ******—*** A-UGV—wasn’t ***** **** *** market ******. ** *** a ***** *******, *** people ****'* **** **.

Steve ******** (

**** ***** **** *** founder ***** ******** [**** no ****** *********] *** was *** ********* *** Robolliance **** ****:

**** ** ****, ** was ********* * ****. There *** ** *********** to **. ** ***** be **** *** ********** to ** ******* **** and ******* ***** *** great **** ***.

******** ***** ******* ***** shut **** *** ****** robot ******** ** **** Q1:

** ***** **** **** maybe ***** ** ****. I *** * ****** calls **** **** ** their ********* *** ****** to ******* ********** **** us.

***** **** **** ****** would ******** ** **** in ******** ***** **** figured *** **** *** purpose ** * ******** robot **.

***’* ******* ** **** instead ** ****. **’** going **** ** **** before ** *** ******** dishwashers. **’** ******* ****** and **’** ******** "**** can ** ****** **** people **** **** *** make ** **** *****? Well ****** **** * machine ** **** ******!" And ** ***** **** that * *********** *****. At *** *** ** 20 ** ** ***** of ***********, *** ***** have * ***** **** puts *** **** ** the ********. ** ***** point ** * ***’* like *** **** *****. Robots *** ****** **** things ** *********** **** don’t **** * **** yet. * ***** ** a ***** ***** *** call ** * ********** ... ** *’* ********** a ******** *****, * don’t **** ** ** do *** *** ****** a ***** *** **. I **** ** ** do * *** ******** things. * ******** ******** robot? ***** ********, *********, yeah. *** *****’* ******** a ****** *** ** do ** **** **** there’s * ****** *** to **** * *********** robot **** ****** ** be ******** *** **** up * ***** *** pour ***** **** **.

Other ****** ** ******

** ***** ******** ****** ******* ******* ("Seven **** ****** **** Create—Or ******") **** *****'* another ****** *** ******* **** of ***** ************ ** the **** ** ************* robots:

Robots ** ******** ***** *******

*** ****** ** ****** in ******** ***** ** not **** ******* **** where ** *** *** years ***. ***'* ******* said **** **** "*** currently ****** *** ********," but ***** **** *** did **** **** ******** and ***. **** ***** when ****-****** ******** ** robots ** ******** ***** occur.

**** *******' ******* **** adoption *** ********, ***** on ********* ******** ************** technology:

*** ****** ** **** is **** ** ******* the ****. **** ** becomes *** ****, **** security ****** **** ****** the ****.

***'* ******** *** * similar ******:

* ***** *** **** by *** *** ** 2020 *’* ***** ** challenge **** ****** ** go *** **** ******* seeing **** **** ** security ***** *********. ** some ***** ** ******** by ****.

*******, **** ** *** key ******* ****** ******** robots *** ************* *** price *****. ** ** likely **** ****** **** need ** ******* ***** a *** **** ** terms ** *************—******** ********, and ********, *** *******—***/** come **** ** ***** before **** *** ****** accepted *** ******* ** the **** ** ********.

Comments (8)

Undisclosed #1

10/01/18 01:28pm

PSA's Bozeman said they were "not currently moving the products,"

This corresponds to something I heard at GSX from a company that tested a security robot. It got stuck in loose gravel at an infrastructure location. It was definitely "not currently moving" when the security group went to check on it, though it was making a mighty effort. Pretty much the state of the market for security robots.

I think security robots will start to catch on about 5-7 years after Knightscope collapses and the industry re-addresses the approach without the hype and goofiness of the current products.

John Honovich

IPVM | 10/01/18 01:41pm

The status of robots in security today is not much changed from where it was two years ago.

Not to disagree with IPVM... On the one hand, overall adoption is not that much changed in the past 2 years.

What has changed is the level of negativity towards security robots among serious people in the industry. From a marketing perspective, that is very bad. Knightscope may be happy to take selfies with random people but building trust with real buyers or channel partners is key.

Avatar

Mark Palka

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 10/01/18 06:18pm

Hi John as a company that has been working in emerging technologies for number of years I can say first hand that there is a market for this product today. I work in this space integrating them with our VMS to enhance the security offered. And what I can further say is that I have found few manufacturers who actually know what needs to be supplied in this infant market. It reminds of analytics - big promises that did not work. Right now today there are applications that it does work in - the manufacturers with the big promises don't work - too soon.  

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Mark Palka | 10/02/18 12:15am

Mark, I am sure there is 'a market' for security robots today. It is just a very small market relative to the number of companies in the space and to the number of potential buyers out there. That makes it hard for them to sell and grow. Sort of like video analytics up until just a few years ago.

To be clear, I am not against using security robots in specific niche applications.

Undisclosed #2

10/02/18 12:46am

when was the last time kick ass commercial (i.e. designed to make money) technology was developed by an 'alliance' of manufacturers?

Anyone who thinks the Robolliance 'raised awareness' to robotics in the security industry is most probably someone who formed or joined the now defunct Robolliance.

It was/is no secret that security robots exist and that there are at least a few start-ups who have convinced others to invest in their particular development vision.

Most of us will, instead, wait to 'invest' our time and effort in to something that actually solves customer problems - like video analytics had to figure out before any numbers of customers started buying them.

Avatar

Marty Major

FLIR Security
In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 10/02/18 12:51am

I aint buying shit until someone makes a Johnny 5 Security Robot

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

10/02/18 03:37am

The second poll did not make much sense to me. Why would manfacturer want integrators to sell robots? And what Value does integrators add to robots?

Avatar

Dan Gelinas

IPVM | 10/02/18 12:04pm

Second poll was for integrators. We were asking security integrators if they were interested in trying to sell securty robots to their end-user customers. I assume manufacturers of robots would want security integrators to sell them so they could make money off of manufacturing robots.

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