iRobot releases two new robots

First there was Roomba to vacuum the carpet. Then there was Scooba to wash the linoleum. This week iRobot has released two new robots.

The first is Looj, which will clean out gutters. But no one really cares about that. The robot that is getting all the press is the iRobot ConnectR Virtual Visiting Robot. You can read all about it here:

iRobot® ConnectR™ Virtual Visiting Robot

Its tag line: “Stay close to those you love – no matter where you are!” iRobot lists these possible uses:

• Participate in family moments even though you’re working late
• On a business trip? Read your kids a story and see their faces light up
• Join the fun from near or far
• Throw a party from a thousand miles away
• Tell Fido he’s a “good boy” even while you’re on vacation

That’s pretty warm and fuzzy. But really, if you think about it, you can do a lot of this with a normal telephone, or with a webcam and a free copy of NetMeeting or something similar. The fact is that the ConnectR is a remotely piloted web cam on wheels, and that has a lot of people wondering if the real purpose for this robot is a little more sinister. Like spying. Take, for example, this article:

New robots aid social connection - or spying - from afar

Further enhancing this “spying” impression is the fact that the ConnectR does not have a screen - just a camera. The operator of the ConnectR can see everything, but the people looking at the ConnectR cannot see the operator. So, if you are looking for a spy robot that you can drive around your house while you aren’t home, the ConnectR is just the thing you need.

What’s more interesting is to think about where this “telepresence” technology is heading. In Japan these telepresence robots are often packaged more like stuffed animals. The idea of visiting a musem in another country through telepresence is intriguing. Doctors have been using telepresence for several years to visit patients in hospitals. People working from home could use them to have a “presence” in the office. The idea of showing up for a meeting and finding it filled with telepresence robots is thought-provoking… but we will probably all switch over to Second Life before that happens.