Ascento announces £4.3million funding for security robots
Robotics startup Ascento has announced a funding round ($4.3m pre-seed round) for its range of autonomous security patrolling robots.
Ascento is developing advanced robotic systems that are popularly known for their wheel-leg design. These autonomous robots are designed to navigate any outdoor terrains with agility and stability of their legs.
They are already being deployed on large industrial sites and have covered over 3000 km for outdoor security since early this year. Ascento customers include large outdoor warehouses, industrial manufacturing and pharma campus, among others.
Today, the startup has also launched its latest autonomous outdoor security patrolling robot called Ascento Guard. It is able to detect bad actors or unwanted people on premises, verify perimeter integrity, check that doors and windows are closed, record property lights, identify floods and fires, and control parking lots. It can move at walking speed (4.5km/h) and come with autonomous charging so the system can be in continuous operation without human intervention.
The Ascento Guard can be installed and deployed within a few hours, allowing companies to save from day 1 and adapt fast to their current security needs. The Ascento Guard can be hired by the hour, just like a human guard, and it includes deployment, 24/7 support, service and repairs.
The Ascento App analyses video and images with AI, integrating with existing video management systems and providing end-to-end encrypted two-way communication.
Says Alessandro Morra, co-founder and CEO of Ascento:
“The new Ascento Guard offers hope and a breath of fresh air for the security industry facing some pressing challenges. By supporting human security personnel with the Ascento Guard, security companies can offer a lean solution through which Ascento does the heavy lifting allowing humans to focus on the unique nuances of the work”.
The global security industry is facing mounting challenges. Labour shortages mean a lack of qualified personnel available to do the work which involves long shifts, during anti-social hours or in bad weather. To compound matters, there is high staff turnover in the industry, as much as 47% annually. By providing a robotics-as-a-service solution to security companies, Ascento aims to address these challenges.
