“As a remote worker I’m fascinated by telepresence robots, or a remote robotic avatar which lives at an office and roams the halls under your control, typically interacting through a 2-way video chat tool,” Victor Agreda, Jr. reports for TUAW. “Naturally, Double Robotics took the iPad’s advantages and built what looks like a tiny Segway for the iPad to move about on, calling it the Double.”
“The Double mounts an iPad up top for communicating, has an adjustable height, and uses a second iPad for controls,” Agreda, Jr. reports. “The video below shows the robot in action.”
More info and links in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “BlackWolf” for the heads up.]
I love it.
these should be available for rent pre-located at interesting places.
Creepy. Especially the empty gallery with a bunch of these roaming around.
And do they say “Excuse me” when the get in each other’s way? lol
Blind sided much? OMG, it’s a first person shooter game device. Stairs seem like they might be an issue and of course the occational cloth over the head gag. haha
Turns out the Daleks have rockets underneath, so I’m guessing just a little mod here, little mod there, and these will be shouting “EXTERMINATE!” with the best of them.
OMG, I hadn’t thought of that. You just KNOW these things will be going around pretending to interrogate and kill people.
That means all the more profit for me and my EMP Inducer. Just aim, pull the trigger and BZZZZTT!!!
‘Hey guys! Bart’s avatar just died! I wonder what happened?’ [BWAHAHA!] 😈
I am sure there are many jokes to made with this, but you have to admit that is pretty damn cool.
man, that’s cool…would be great interior home surveillance when you’re at work, etc.
With a grasping tool for opening the fridge and get me a beer I’d never have to leave the couch.
Why not just have a mini cooler near the couch?
Cheaters beware!!!
But what if some one kills your “double”??? the body can not live with out the mind :O
Jeez. Just get off your ass and go to work… Have a little faith in your employees/other people while you’re at it. The last thing we need is a bunch of people sitting at home driving little robots around the workplace, checking on everything.
Boss says: Hi Fred, sorry I ran into the water cooler and knocked it over. Can you hold that up a little, so I can see it?
Fred thinks: Yeah, no shit. I was watching you drive that thing over here for the last 30 minutes, while Bill was pretend humping it from behind the whole time.
Fred says: Yeah, here you go.
Boss says: A little closer, and to the left. My left, no other left.
Fred says: Ok, wait hold on… You’re moving the head part down.
Boss says: Ok, that looks good!
Fred thinks: Thanks, shit head. I know it looks good, I’ve been making these for 20 years and I’m the one that can actually see it.
Fred says: Ok, thanks.
+∞
I can see this getting creepy real fast.
• Imagine the etiquette culture that’s going to build around these annoying roving avatars.
• Imagine the ‘Kick Me’ stickers stuck on the back and other practical jokes.
• Imagine having to put ramps in your facility in order to enable these machine ‘human equivalents’ to roam around where they like.
I’m going to hate this.
With a passion!
Where’s my baseball bat?
Where’s my chainsaw?
‘No I don’t communicate with robot avatars! If you want a conversation, talk to me in person. HEY! Did your avatar’s hand just goose me? Perv! Get an IRL!‘
Back to work on my localized EMP inducer. It’s going to come in very handy. ZAPPPP!!!
In a publicity stunt today, gizmotologist Derek Currie was arrested for destruction of property after remotely attacking and deactivating 33 roving human avatars around the city shopping district through the use of his popular EMP Inducer device. On the stock exchange, shares of his company EMPZ leaped 50% upon news of his arrest.