Telepresence

When it comes down to it, most telepresence robots are just remote-control tablets that can be steered around a room. The VRoxy system is different in that its robot replicates the user's movements, plus it auto-pilots itself to different locations.

As the pandemic continues, most of us have gotten used to medical consultations being performed via the phone or Zoom. That said, there are still times when diagnostic devices need to be used … which is where the H3 Health Cube is designed to come in.

We first heard about the iCub humanoid robot in 2011, when it was nominated to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay. The latest and greatest version, the iCub 3, was the star of a recently-announced (and pretty impressive) telepresence demonstration.

The new technologies Honda plans to pursue in the coming decades include an eVTOL for inter-city transport, a robot that will act as an avatar for users to perform tasks remotely, and a renewable energy system for the Moon.

Earlier this year, we heard about a pet-entertaining/treat-dispensing robot known as Pumpkii. Although its crowdfunding campaign was cancelled, the similar Rocki is now available for purchase.

If your job involves sending TV crews around the country to shoot interviews in people's homes or workplaces, you'll know that the current pandemic has made such tasks very difficult. That's where Crew in a Box is designed to come in.

Useful as they are, telepresence robots can be prohibitively expensive. The Smartipresence cuts the price of entry into the telepresence world right down by making use of the ubiquitous smartphone and cardboard.

Although the showbiz industry still is centralized in places like Hollywood, it's becoming less and less so as technology advances. That's where Solo Cinebot comes in, as it's a robotic camera system that can be operated over the internet.

​You might think that most new robots are designed to head off into factories or other workplaces, but the fact is that many of them are made to be used by robotics developers. That's the case with EVE r3, although its successor may find use in applications such as home care for the elderly.

Online consultations with real doctors could be useful, but just talking or texting with a patient often isn’t enough for an accurate diagnosis. To give a telepresence doctor more presence, the new OnMed Station is equipped with cameras and various sensors, and can even dispense drugs as prescribed.

​Although telepresence robots do allow remotely-located users to move about an environment, and to see and hear what's going on there, they don't actually let those users perform physical tasks. The Origibot2 does do so, however, as it's equipped with an arm and gripper.

​XPrize contests are nothing if not examples of big picture thinking. The organization has just announced a new initiative to accelerate the development of real-life robotic avatars, which could one day be used to remotely carry out tasks like care-giving or disaster relief from miles away.​​