While we’re big proponents of meeting face-to-face, it’s clear that scattered teams and hectic business schedules don’t always allow for that.
Videoconferencing is getting easier. iRobot, the Massachusetts company that brought us the Roomba robotic vacuum, has introduced Ava 500, a wheeled robot designed to bring videoconferencing right to your office.
According to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek, Ava — short for Avatar — is equipped with a high-definition video screen, a camera, some onboard mapping smarts a high-end videoconferencing system from Cisco Systems. The beauty of Ava, says iRobot CEO Robert Angle, is that the conference comes to you.
A worker schedules a videoconference on a laptop or tablet computer and at the scheduled time, Ava will navigate the hallways of your office and show up ready to initiate your meeting. It’s a more flexible alternative to expensive videoconferencing rooms outfitted with cameras and high-definition screens.
Ava won’t be widely available until next year. And the technology doesn’t come cheap, however. Angle estimates iRobot will lease for $2,000 to $2,500 per month.
Ava 500 brings the videoconference to you.
