by Cornell and Brown University researchers have developed a telepresence robot called VRoxy, which mimics a user’s movements and gestures in real-time in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The system allows remote users to collaborate with teammates in a larger space, enhancing the concept of remote robotic embodiment.
By wearing a VR headset, users can access two view modes: Live mode, which provides a real-time immersive view of the collaborative space for interactions with local collaborators, and navigational mode, which displays rendered pathways of the room, allowing remote users to teleport to desired locations. This navigation mode enables smoother and faster mobility, reducing the risk of motion sickness.
The automatic nature of VRoxy eliminates the need for remote teammates to manually control the robot, enabling them to focus solely on collaboration. This breakthrough leverages locomotion techniques commonly used in VR gaming, such as instant movement between positions. It allows remote users to physically occupy a small space while interacting with teammates in a larger remote environment.
According to Mose Sakashita, a doctoral student at Cornell, VR technology provides the opportunity to leverage various locomotion techniques, enabling remote users to collaborate in a much larger space. This functionality is especially advantageous for remote teammates who are confined to a small office but need to participate in a group activity taking place in a larger space, such as a design collaboration scenario.
Real-time responsiveness is a crucial feature of VRoxy for both remote and local teammates. The robot accurately mimics the user’s body position and other nonverbal cues that are typically lost with traditional telepresence robots and video conferencing platforms like Zoom. For example, VRoxy’s monitor, which displays a rendering of the user’s face, will tilt according to the user’s focus.
Equipped with a 360-degree camera, a monitor displaying facial expressions captured by the user’s VR headset, a robotic pointer finger, and omnidirectional wheels, VRoxy allows for seamless collaboration and effective communication.
In future developments, Sakashita plans to enhance VRoxy with robotic arms, enabling remote users to interact with physical objects in real-time via the robot proxy.
This research received support from the National Science Foundation and the Nakajima Foundation.
In conclusion, the VRoxy telepresence robot developed by Cornell and Brown University revolutionizes remote collaboration by enabling real-time mimicking of user movements and gestures in a VR environment. This breakthrough technology enhances communication and collaboration between remote and local teammates, providing a more immersive and seamless experience.
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