There must be times when you really ought to attend that face-to-face meeting but you really cannot be bothered leaving the comfort of your own home.
In the past you either had to steel yourself to attend or stay away and risk causing offense…but now there is another solution.
You can hook your iPad up to a wheeled robot and send that in your place.
DoubleRobotics has come up with a $1,999 device which can turn your iPad into a ‘virtual you’ so be anywhere you, er, don’t really want to be or just don’t have time to get to in person.
According to the manufacturer’s website: “Double is the simplest, most elegant way to be somewhere else in the world without flying there.”
The minimalist design and intuitive touchscreen controls allow you to freely move around without inconveniencing others. You can stay at eye level, whether sitting or standing, by adjusting your height remotely, which makes conversations fluid and real. Retractable kickstands will automatically deploy to conserve power when you are not moving around. Efficient motors and lightweight design give Double the ability to last all day without recharging the battery.
Should send the “virtual you” to a meeting then this is what the other guys in the room would see:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
You control the other you via your own iPad and you can even adjust its height to make sure you are always at eye level.
Double Robotics say the gadget could be used to attend meetings, meet friends for lunch, and even visit art galleries around the world.
I can understand the meetings and the art galleries but not the meeting friends for lunch…I mean is not actually eating lunch at least half the point of going out to lunch in the first place?
The makers say the device can be used all day on a single battery charge and it looks like they might be onto something here with the initial production run already sold out with pre-orders now being taken for the next run which will ship early next year.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
According to the makers, some of the uses the device has been put to include:
- Companies with multiple office locations use Double to communicate with remote teams.
- School campusesplace a Double in each building, enabling potential students to walk the halls and talk to professors.
- Retail storesuse Double as a mobile kiosk, giving customers more information about the products.
- Hospitals in remote locations have specialists on-call with Double and
- Museums can offer remote tours on Double, so patrons can experience world-renown exhibits from anywhere in the world.
Now watch the video: