Robots in the loop: Telepresence robots in everyday life

This year´s human-robot interaction (HRI) conference focuses on “robots in the loop” and how robots are capable of enhancing the experiences of human users in everyday life and work. Telepresence robots allow operators the ability to participate in remote locations through their mobility and live bidirectional audio and video feeds. Using robotic telepresence, students with chronic illnesses are attending their regular classes, physicians are conducting virtual “home visits” for recovering patients, and remote teammates are having conversations beyond the office conference room. This panel gathers experts from academia, business, and industry to discuss their experiences in developing robotic telepresences and “ah ha” moments reported from field use. Topics include how telepresence is defined, the practical use cases and application domains, the social and practical challenges encountered by operators and people physically present with the robots, and the implications for design of telepresence robots given these considerations.