Remote presence robots have been used for corporate institutions quite often. However Ohmni, designed by a company in Silicon Valley, is targeting homes for use. Ohmni allows users to communicate remotely with simple controls, which is perfect for elder care.
With 20 3D printers, including bigger ones they're building on their own, Ohmni labs are busy refining their robots, which are currently being sold on the crowdfunding site, Indiegogo for 1,400 dollars. More than 50 Ohmni robots are already being tested in the field as well.
Yeh, a 95-year-old grandmother has a remote presence robot visitor, Ohmni in her northern California home, which is being controlled by her son, who's in southern California.
"It's very convenient. Right away, when the sound comes out, I know they will come to find me. I just tell them I'm here, and they can come over and visit me,” said Yeh.
Telepresence robots
In another case, Ohmni was literally a life saver for a man who couldn't get a hold of his elderly mother by phone.
"So he dialed into the robot and drove it around to find her, and he found her in the bedroom and she was in pain, so he called 911. He called his brother, while recording her on the screen. It turned out she had urinary tract infection, very severe, and they just took her to the hospital just in time,” said Thuc Vu, co-founder & CEO of Ohmini labs.
Ohmni has future plans to add arms, which could perform tasks like picking up objects, shaking hands, or giving a hug--little actions that could make the robot an even more powerful tool for human connection.
