ReadySight robot navigates rocks, rugs and all sorts of indoor and outdoor terrain.
Time takes time. I’ve heard that saying often, but have a new appreciation for it in recent weeks. I co-founded Company Six due to its important mission - keeping people with dangerous jobs and those they serve, safe. I, as much as anyone, want to get our rugged, low-cost robot out to our customers as soon as possible, to have their backs and to provide the situational awareness they need today.
Respect is one of the CO6 core values, and it takes many forms. Making a small and capable robot like ReadySight is very difficult - it requires optimizing for mobility, size, temperature and moisture, battery life, and a secure backend video platform. Our team is up to the challenge, but out of respect for first responders and others with dangerous jobs, we simply will not put a robot into their hands unless it meets our high criteria for reliability and performance.
We also respect the urgency facing those who are eagerly waiting for the services the ReadySight robot provides. We are thrilled to announce that our Special Insights Team (SIT) partners will begin beta testing the ReadySight robots in the coming weeks. For first responders, every day counts, every day brings a chance for circumstances where situational awareness could make a meaningful difference. We respect the urgent need that each and every one of our customers face, and want to meet that demand.
As my team and I face difficult decisions, we focus on the fundamentals, on our core values, and on how best to respect and honor our mission while maintaining the level of trust our customers bestow upon us. We take the time to earn our stakeholders’ respect and to deliver a product and program worthy of it. Thank you for your patience as each day the ReadySight robot takes one step closer to serving you, ensuring safety and awareness when you and your community need it most.
The mission of the Company Six Special Insights Team (SIT) program is to gain the highest level of integration and effectiveness between the CO6 ReadySight™ personal robot and the operations needs of law enforcement and public safety responders. Divided into three phases, CO6 will facilitate the SIT agencies in an in-depth development of physical factors and detailed use-cases identified by SIT agency user groups, conduct field testing of identified use-cases on-site at SIT agency facilities, and from these activities develop draft policies, procedures, and CALEA-compliant accreditation standard elements.
The intended outcome of the SIT program is to identify actual law enforcement officer needs and meet those needs with directed technologies and validated protocols that operate within constitutional, legislative, and agency requirements. The SIT program is also designed to provide agencies who chose to deploy autonomous devices and technologies such as robotics, with a well-validated and tested body of knowledge to present to community constituents upon introduction to agency use.
Approximate Phases are:
• Phase One: 1st Week through 6th Week
• Phase Two: 7th Week through 14th Week
• Phase Three: TBD
Locations: Special Insights Team Agency Location for phases one and two.
Mission: Phase One is a facilitated process for specific agency operational groups, including Patrol, Traffic, Tactical Operations, Investigations, Explosive Ordinance, and other relevant specialties. During this phase, CO6 facilitators will work with groups to record and rank the user-cases for testing prioritization.
Attendees: Representative groups with common needs, approved by SIT agency management. The ideal group makeup would include field operators, first line supervisors, and unit command, as available, as well as an agency legal advisor for the constitutional and legal segment.
Resources: Classroom setting and schedules to create minimal disruption to agency operations. Video recording for future training operations.
Meeting Outline: Topical areas to be covered:
• Introduction of the CO6 ReadySight personal public safety robot, including features, functions, and operational capabilities.
• Discussion of deployment methods and physical characteristics of mounting, charging, and other infrastructure.
• Presentation of pre-developed use-cases for the group to focus and define deeper “sub-use cases” (e.g., refining the larger category of building searches).
• Discussion of Fourth Amendment related issues that apply to each identified use-case and scenario.
Outcomes: In consultation with SIT agency staff, the results of Phase One will be curated by CO6 law enforcement advisors into demonstrable testing scenarios for Phase Two validation and assessment.
Mission: Phase Two of the SIT program is designed to subject the identified use-case responses and proposed operational capabilities to realistic operational scenarios, evaluate the results, and adjust as indicated. The goal is to identify and rate the effectiveness of proposed uses for the development of protocols, procedures, policies, and training aids.
Attendees: Representative groups with common needs, approved by SIT agency management. The ideal group makeup would include field operators, first line supervisors, and unit command, as available.
Resources: Agency internal resources, such as Academy and Tactical Training sites. External resources for application-specific testing and development of training videos and scripts.
Meeting Outline: Operational tests to be covered:
• Testing plan to optimize personnel time to cover the selected test scripts and locations.
• Test each prioritized use-case with the typical agency response staffing, including joint operations between patrol and tactical operators, EOD and other specialized groups. Include investigations personnel for scenarios that relate to surveillance, search warrant service, and other related activities.
• Immediate debrief of testing group and any designated observers, repeat operations as necessary.
• CO6 law enforcement facilitators will record the input and operational recommendations. Outcomes: As many of the use-case scenarios as possible, given the allotted time and staff availability. As with Phase One, Phase Two scenarios will be re-prioritized according to the testing results and SIT agency input.
Mission: Phase Three of the SIT program is intended to analyze the data captured in Phases One and Two, and create draft protocols, procedures, and standards to aid the SIT agencies in updating current policies on the operations of autonomous deices, specifically robotics.
Attendees: This work will largely be off-site, with some remote and on-site meetings to discuss operational and legal issues.
Resources: SIT agency supervisors and managers to review and respond to CO6 findings.
Meeting Outline: To be determined.
Outcomes: Comprehensive documentation for agency manuals, public information announcements, and liability mitigation.