Robot Will Let You Visit Remote Location
Monday, December 1st, 2008Cognitive designers are always on the lookout for new functionality that supports or extends how people perceive, remember, think, feel and relate.
Telepresence or the ability to project yourself from a remote location has always been high on the list. Talking from a speaker box, viewing from a web cam, or controlling devices remotely over the Internet (e.g. to collect vital signs in telehealth) are good examples of low-cost functionality that can be included in the cognitive design of distributed educational, work or living systems.
Telepresence is a growing consumer application. People want to be able to check on or visit their aging parents, children, new grand kids, pets or home from a remote location.
iRobot is developing a new system ConnectR, to help us do that. This $500 personal robot will let us visit, move around in and interact with (see and speak) remote locations. In essence, ConnectR is a mobile camera with speakers, microphone and a headlight that you can control over the Internet.
It is like having an avatar but for the real-world.
It is not commercially released yet but you can see a demo on YouTube.
