Say Hello to Double Robotics' iPad Telepresence Robot
Last year Mountain-View based designer David Cann and engineer Marc DeVidts joined forces to create Double Robotics, a company dedicated to the creation of a cutting edge user-robot experience that is different from anything currently offered. After a year of planning, the team is getting ready to release its first product, the iPad telepresence robot called Double.
Consisting of a self-balancing Segway-like component and an iPad bracket, Double allows users to have remote face-to-face meetings from their iPad using an iOS device or desktop. The base allows users to move the robot as well as adjust the height of the iPad, offering a wide range of uses other than video chatting. For example, the company hopes to market the device to museums and galleries, allowing users to make "virtual" visits from the comforts of their home.
As convenient as the device may be, it is still limited by the iPad's front-facing camera which probably won't be ideal for viewing detailed art exhibitions. But for anyone looking to have some remote Facetime calls, the device is currently available for pre-order with a $500 discount, making the grand total $1,999 before the device ship in December.
hey ought to have been testing it on other stuff too.
I wonder if it would have been cheaper if they used just an Arduino board, a 3G modem and/or WiFi adapter and a webcam.
What if this robots could be taking orders in waiting lines? Perhaps in restaurants, hotels or other places where long queues occur?
Does this have practical applications? Of course. But lazy people will figure out a way to dumb down society. I can already imagine a lineup of these things at the movie theatre. Humans sitting in seats and these things standing there facing the screen because some lazy schmuck couldn't be bothered to get off his butt to go to the theatre to watch the movie.
This is the first step towards that movie "Surrogates" that Bruce Willis was in.
Why? Are you one of those sociable people who like interaction with others? Anything that keeps people away from each other is fine by me.
I'm guessing you're a virgin.
Then half the population would be out of work.
But I don't see why museums would have any interest in this. They would be far better off allowing their exhibits to be put online than to have untrained people driving these things around running in to other people, in to exhibits, and down the stairways. Also I don't think other museum patrons would like to be dodging these things.