How many times have you made a Skype call where you picked up your computer and walked it around to show your caller something?
The problem is, your buddy is utterly dependent on you to move around.
Cisco and iRobot have solved that problem with a new robo-boss that will be available in 2014. It lets the person on the other end control their whereabouts and it uses some pretty cool autonomous and sensor tech to do it, Youssef Saleh, an iRobot VP, told us.
Just outfit the robot with a schematic of the building in the robot's iPad app. Tap the place you want to go and it rolls there on its own, avoiding objects and other people. No joystick steering required, Saleh says.
The companies wouldn't announce pricing, but iRobot charges $4,000 to $6,000 for a similar Robo doctor unit designed for hospitals. We expect this unit to cost about the same.
Meet the iRobot Ava 500 for enterprises.
The robot uses iRobot’s autonomous navigation to drive and avoid people, objects.
It integrates with Cisco TelePresence and can post instant messages and presence info.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider