Autonomous Surveillance Breakthrough by Implementing Facial Recognition in Dog Robots
Amir Hafezi, Minhaz F. Zibran, Taher Deemyad · 2024
As the importance of security in today's world continues to escalate, technology's role in its enhancement has evolved significantly. From the inception of fixed security cameras monitored by individuals, advancements have steered towards autonomous threat recognition systems and the deployment of mobile robots for proactive security measures. Despite these technological strides, the exploration of autonomous robots in security has been relatively scant. This study takes a novel approach by repurposing the commercial GO2 Edu dog robot for security purposes, equipping it with a thermal camera and custom software for robust face detection in varying lighting conditions, aimed at achieving safer and more reliable face recognition. Furthermore, the mapping and navigational capabilities are studied by conducting experiments with a Turtlebot outfitted with a 2D RPLIDAR and depth camera using SLAM, laying the groundwork for the GO2 robot's autonomous operations. The results of these enhancements have shown to be promising in the context of bolstering security measures. The paper concludes with a discussion on potential future enhancements, paving the way for more sophisticated and autonomous security robots.