
What it feels like being an iPad on a stick on wheels - henrik_w
http://labs.spotify.com/2013/12/12/what-it-feels-like-being-an-ipad-on-a-stick-on-wheels/
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timje1
It sounds like a significant hindrance is picking out voices in crowds, and
making one's own voice heard in the crowd, as a result of the poor microphone
/ speakers on the iPad.

With the great big self-balancing stick peripheral, it's a wonder that they've
not thought to attach a pair of microphones with binaural software onto the
double (so you can hear if someone is talking behind you, to the right, etc).
Then the user at the other end could put on some headphones and pick up
everything that's going on around them. Binaural audio feedback also greatly
enhances immersion.

Surely a slightly larger / louder speaker wouldn't cost too much either?

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ArekDymalski
This was very funny and informative post, written in a way that really helped
me to empathize with the situation. Thanks!

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hablahaha
I died @ "Unplug me! Make me Freeee!"

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ensmotko
This is really amazing, but I'd throw in an oculus rift for a true out of body
experience.

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abrahamsen
It would be a trade-off. It would be more immersible for you, but less for
everyone else, as your only only human appearance (your face) would be
obscured.

Longer term solution: Your presented face would be computer animated.

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timje1
Uncanny valley, here we come. Studies have shown that people are more at ease
around a robot that tries to look like a cute humanoid robot, rather than a
near-human but not quite construct.

Replacing the video feed of a person's face with a computer generated, almost-
their-face-but-not-quite simulacrum sounds like it'd heavily increase user
nightmare rates.

~~~
Crito
Maybe it is just me, but with a disembodied head rolling around on a segway,
we are already rather deep down in the uncanny valley. Removing a bit of
humanity might just pull it up the left bank of it.

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DanielBMarkham
I'm in the "I want to believe" category when it comes to distributed teams,
mainly because technology is far more social than technical. But so many
people want to work at the beach in their pajamas, there's gotta be a way
forward. So I'm rooting for this tech.

Sounds like we need at a minimum: 1) ability to get up off floor on your own,
2) ability to find an outlet and charge on your own, 3) better microphone and
conversation discrimination, and 4) some way of having "eye" contact

I'dd add for bonus points: 1) some kind of peripheral vision, 2) ability to
wave arms around to get attention and demonstrate crude body language, 3)
ability to grasp and manipulate things in some kind of fashion resembling a
hand.

So there's still a ways to go. Bummer.

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smacktoward
Stephen Colbert took the Double for a spin a few days ago:

[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-
videos/43094...](http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-
videos/430940/december-03-2013/the-double-robotics-office-robot)

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gizzlon
Looks like we're a little closer to implement that automated dating experience
I read about a while back :)

(sorry, too lazy to find the link)

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henrik_w
You're probably thinking of the hilarious "High Frequency Dating":
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6773841](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6773841)

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davidw
The Economist had a similar article recently:

[http://www.economist.com/news/technology-
quarterly/21590763-...](http://www.economist.com/news/technology-
quarterly/21590763-telepresence-what-it-attend-conference-remotely-robot-
proxy)

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Viper007Bond
My company has had a Double in our San Francisco lounge for about a year now
(we helped Double Robotics beta test it). About 95% of our employees are
remote so it's pretty cool being able to hop in and say hi to anyone that's
co-working out of our lounge that day.

It's really no different than using Skype video chat or a Google+ Hangout
except that you aren't stuck on someone's laptop -- you can move around if you
need to.

It's rather gimicky but it's also quite fun. Still, if I needed to talk one-
on-one with someone, or even participate in a group meeting (something I've
never actually done due to my company's culture), then I think a standard
video chat would work just as fine.

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henrik_w
Jokes aside, it's quite interesting to think about how close to an in-person
experience this (or similar) can get you. For example body-language. I get
quite animated when getting in to a technical discussion - how would that feel
in this case?

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csmuk
Perhaps they could make it lean towards people if you raise your voice? Or if
you shake your head in disgust it could wiggle?

To be honest though, email is still pretty much the best communication method
over distance. It allows you to think, revise and reference other information
easier. Many a time I've torpedoed a face to face meeting with a single email.

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vickm
Why does this remind me of an episode of the 'Big Bang Theory'?

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saurik
[http://www.hizook.com/blog/2010/09/30/willow-garages-
texai-t...](http://www.hizook.com/blog/2010/09/30/willow-garages-texai-
telepresence-robot-makes-cameo-appearance-big-bang-theory)

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sourdesi
Am I the only one that fears what this kind of technology will do to social
interaction in the future?

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Houshalter
This is way more personal than texting or even a skype call, and allows people
to connect that are separated by thousands of miles.

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michaelbuckbee
Agreed, this seems more like an improvement on existing teleconferencing tools
than a degradation of other forms of communication.

