Teleprescence fascinates me. The idea of being able to effectively do something somewhere else, while still being deep within your comfort zone at home, is terrific. I know, looking at the video feed from the camera at the top of Mount Everest, while sitting at home eating chocolate chip cookies and occasionally clicking over to the porn site, doesn't do justice to the experience, but then again, you don't have to tip the Sherpas, either. Wonder if they have robotic Sherpas? Or outsourced ones? Hi, my name is Easa Al-Jahbir, I'll be your Sherpa today.
Teleprescence started with the concept of video feeds. You could walk into a conference room, flick on the television monitor, and hey presto, actually see the person you were talking to. Not that this added all that much to the experience -- Good god, where did he get that tie? I had no idea he was so fat... -- but the novelty was pretty amazing. I recall using an early model speakerphone at the New York Worlds Fair, and it was so cool to talk to, um, the people I talk to every day. What sold it was the novelty. With the video, you don't have to travel, which is good, but thats about all that it gave it. And you had to be careful with it. I recall once, sitting in a video conference room, playing with the camera. I had no idea that every time I reaimed it, the image that everyone else got updated. Uh, Bill? Are you having a problem with the camera? And, could you focus up a little higher, please?
What bought this to mind was looking at a website for the iRobot corporation (what is it with the i prefix? ) and, specifically, their iRobot ConnectR Virtual Visiting Robot. It's essentially a camera mounted on a small mobile robot. I don't know exactly how the technology works, but of course every guy can see the immediate benefit of a camera that's mounted at ankle level, looking up. Sally? You might want to ...step back a little.. from the camera. Good idea. I recall reading, not too long ago, about a fellow at, I think, Xerox PARC who uses a similar device (mounted on a eye-level stand, thank you very much) to communicate with coworkers when he's working from home. Sounds charming. And there have been little squibs from the Japanese press about use of robotic 'caregivers' to keep in touch with elderly relatives. They're not so much a caregiver as an always-open phone line, but it sounds like they do work.
Are you there? Can you hear me now? Dammit, is this thing on?
