The Synergy Swan bot’s Android-powered interface smiles and can react to human presence in addition to its remote telepresence operation (via R.BOT)
With advances in both smartphone & tablet capabilities and in-home robotics solutions, the integration of both technologies into a single, synergistic product is only natural. Combining tablets and/or smartphones with remotely controlled bots has developed a new market for in-home security rovers and personal remotely controlled companions for play. The instant wireless connectivity of such devices have also expanded their market range through the development of robotic telepresence products that can be an exciting way of changing up the way communication is done at home or in the office. Russian tech company R.BOT has now stepped into the fray with the announcement of their Android phone & tablet powered Synergy Swan bot - not to be complete without its smiley face atop a long-necked mobile body.
R.BOT, founded in 2007 by Alexey Knyazev, began to develop high-tech solutions for security system use and has since expanded into the development of telepresence robots for the assistance of people with disabilities. Many current telepresence robots that combine the usage of phones and tablets are used for home security purposes, such as the Robotex Avatar Home Security Bot. ***There is an article I wrote on another bot that uses a smartphone for entertainment style telepresence, couldn’t find it though*** R.BOT’s telepresence robots gained much adoration after frequent use in advertising campaigns - not too long after, the Synergy Swan was born.
The personal telepresence bot comes in two models: a mobile model and a stationary model. An Android phone is placed atop its short, stout plastic and metallic body with an elongated, 4 DOF neck stretching its height to approximately 3 feet (without the phone). When not in use, the 31-pound robot folds its neck down into its ~17” base for easy storage. The elongated neck design makes it easy for the Swan’s operators to see their way around in environment, tilting and turning as they so please. In addition to Android phone/tablet mounted support, the robot is can be controlled via Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, and Windows clients. In addition, for vehicle speed fanatics, the Swan gets around at a blazing 1.1 mph - perfect suited for the “no running” office policy.
Of course, the Synergy Swam will come along with an app to run the telepresence software and give it the ability to talk or react to human companions. Besides obvious in-home use, R.BOT believes their device works perfectly as a replacement for managers constantly on the road. The The Synergy Swan mobile model will be available for $450, with its stationary counterpart available for only $250. R.BOT also plans on giving developers the opportunity to create their own apps for the Swan - this is likely the root of the company’s own description of their robot as “interchangeably intelligent.”
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