page_title: Telerobotics
section_title: Telepresence and videoconferencing
hierarchical_section_title: Telerobotics / Applications / Telepresence and videoconferencing
caption_attribution_description: English: iRobot Ava 500, an autonomous roaming telepresence robot.
context_page_description: Telerobotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of semi-autonomous robots from a distance, chiefly using Wireless network or tethered connections. It is a combination of two major subfields, teleoperation and telepresence.
context_section_description: The prevalence of high quality video conferencing using mobile devices, tablets and portable computers has enabled a drastic growth in telepresence robots to help give a better sense of remote physical presence for communication and collaboration in the office, home, school, etc. when one cannot be there in person. The robot avatar can move or look around at the command of the remote person.
  There have been two primary approaches that both utilize videoconferencing on a display 1) desktop telepresence robots - typically mount a phone or tablet on a motorized desktop stand to enable the remote person to look around a remote environment by panning and tilting the display or 2) drivable telepresence robots - typically contain a display (integrated or separate phone or tablet) mounted on a roaming base. Some examples of desktop telepresence robots include Kubi by Revolve Robotics, Galileo by Motrr, and Swivl.  Some examples of roaming telepresence robots include Beam by Suitable Technologies, Double by Double Robotics, RP-Vita by iRobot and InTouch Health, Anybots, Vgo, TeleMe by Mantarobot, and Romo by Romotive. More modern roaming telepresence robots may include an ability to operate autonomously. The robots can map out the space and be able to avoid obstacles while driving themselves between rooms and their docking stations.
  Traditional videoconferencing systems and telepresence rooms generally offer Pan / Tilt / Zoom cameras with far end control. The ability for the remote user to turn the device's head and look around naturally during a meeting is often seen as the strongest feature of a telepresence robot. For this reason, the developers have emerged in the new category of desktop telepresence robots that concentrate on this strongest feature to create a much lower cost robot. The desktop telepresence robots, also called head and neck Robots allow users to look around during a meeting and are small enough to be carried from location to location, eliminating the need for remote navigation.
  Some telepresence robots are highly helpful for some long-term illness children, who were unable to attend school regularly. Latest innovative technologies can bring people together, and it allows them to stay connected to each other, which significantly help them to overcome loneliness.
caption: iRobot Ava 500, an autonomous roaming telepresence robot.
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