Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Selfies and security: Robot a hit with guests, staff at Henderson resort

M-Bot Security Robot at M Resort

Steve Marcus

The M-Bot security robot patrols at the M Resort in Henderson Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.

A couple visiting the M Resort in Henderson stop at the valet stand to ask guest service supervisor Trevor Tandy a question.

M-Bot Security Robot at M Resort

The M-Bot security robot patrols in the porte cochere at the M Resort in Henderson Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. Launch slideshow »

Tandy has worked for the resort since it opened 14 years ago and is accustomed to pointing visitors in the right direction. They usually ask about how to find a certain restaurant or the pool, or inquire about when check-in begins.

Lately, it’s another question: Where’s the robot?

The property last month debuted a new member to its security team — M-Bot, a 5-foot, 450-pound robot equipped with 50 cameras and sensors that patrols the exterior of the property.

After a social media post two weeks ago showing M-Bot at work went viral, visitors have stopped at M Resort specifically to see it in action. They are in awe as the robot recites one of its 10 canned phrases, such as “Welcome to the M. I’m M-bot,” and often snap a picture with it.

“People are curious to see what it is and what it does,” said Tandy, who says he’s asked at least twice a day about his new colleague. “When it comes around the corner, it draws a crowd.”

M-Bot works 22 hours a day on two patrol paths in the parking lot, where it’s logged a half-million meters in the initial month of operation, officials said. In addition to the audible sound, it has a strobe light on top and is easily visible at night.

One vital feature, a button that patrons can push to reach a dispatcher in the case of emergency, hasn’t yet been utilized, said Kevin Mounts, the director of security for the resort.

Mounts raves about the robotic enhancement to the security team of about 60 staffers, saying it’s an extra layer to detect and report issues. The robot — which deliberately rolls through the parking lot at a walking pace — didn’t take anyone’s job, Mounts stresses.

“It’s an additional asset that shows we take security seriously,” he said.

The robot, which the resort leases from the public safety robotics company Knightscope, provides proactive monitoring to deter security risks. After all, if someone roaming through the parking lot encounters a robot with 50 cameras recording their identity, they’ll surely think twice about committing a crime.

The video feed from the robot’s cameras is monitored by security personnel and stored in the cloud. The robot records license plate numbers on its security rounds, which are continuous 20–30-minute loops throughout two preprogrammed routes. A third route will soon be added.

Mounts, whose career includes stints with the military and Nevada State Police, was approached about the idea for a robot when he interviewed for the job over the summer after nearly 15 years with Caesars Entertainment.

“I was very open to it,” he said. “I’m old-school and never thought we would be like the ‘Jetsons’ with Rosie (the Robot) patrolling, but it’s been a great addition.”

If someone walking through the parking lot seemed suspicious, officers viewing the video feed would be alerted and respond. Mounts also has an app on his mobile device that allows him to constantly observe. M-Bot stops to charge for up to 40 minutes a few times daily, he said.

For the most part, rolling out the robot has been smooth — minus some connectivity issues as it relies on Wi-Fi, Mounts said.

The robot doesn’t patrol inside the property; that would be against Nevada gaming regulations. The feed would have to be made available to the Gaming Control Board, Mounts said.

He said notoriety has brought security officials from other properties to observe the robot in action and ask questions. He also said officials with the New Orleans Police Department stopped at the property for a presentation.

Mounts tells everyone the same thing: M-Bot is a great enhancement — not replacement — to the staff.

“You are going to see these in more places,” he said.