Slashdot Mirror
Robotic Teleconferencing
Mike Elgan writes "Hewlett-Packard Labs unveiled to the press May 23 a system for
teleconferencing with lifelike realism.Called the BiReality remote communication system, the project involves a remote-controlled robot on one end, and a total-immersion environment on the other, giving the user the ability to roam hallways, hold conversations and interact remotely through the
robot."
IT folks are often looked down in many companies due to the nature of computers breaking down and being "difficult" to use. Reducing the number of bussines trips seems like it is a way to make a few more enemies in the world.
that half of these posts will concentrate on what OS those robots will be running instead of the applications and pure coolness of the robots.
Of course, the next step would be to interlink robots in such a way that if one robot is observed by another, you see an image of the owner instead of the robot.
At that point, it's only a tiny step away to skip the whole robot and camera business and to interact virtually only.
Of course, I sincerely hope to be dead before this becomes the only practical way of being in contact with people.
All generalizations are false, including this one. (Mark Twain)
To get HP some digital ink. Yesterday it was iron speed...day before that it was layoffs...last week it was how the 'merger' was complete (tell that to their distribution hubs)....week before that it was..well, you get the point.
Must be a shareholder's meeting coming up. Otherwise, this armless overgrown lego with screens could be something from the '70s.
If this is ready for early adopter markets now, the timing is excellent: due to SARS, real presence in some parts of the world has become risky, which makes telepresence more attractive despite the initial cost of such a system.