QA Telepresence Bot
January 8th, 2009
This bot from Anybots is called QA. While it may look like WALL-E’s head if designed by Apple sitting atop Mr. Burns’s armless frame riding a Segway, QA is actually a telepresence bot, and a pretty sick one at that (if you’re into telepresence you’ll appreciate it). Telepresence bots like QA allow a controller to view, navigate, and verbally address a remote location. Imagine conference calling with mobility. And cameras. And since it’s a robot, imminent demise.
The remote user sees what the QA sees through a pair of cameras mounted near the top, and the user can control the robot’s movements from anywhere there’s a ‘puter and internet. It can move at a blazing 6 mph. Anybot’s QA is relatively stylish and also rather robust—if it’s pushed off course or if somebody tries to knock it over it will maintain balance and return to its original orientation. But all this telepresence comes at a price. A price that is $30,000. That’s how much it will be available for to corporations in the near future. Seems a bit steep, especially considering that the QA lacks maneuverable arms, weapons, and integrated teledildonics.
