The Robot has been a real game changer for our family. It not only provides us with an awesome way to assist and support our 94 year old mother in her day to day health and wellness but it also has had a very positive impact on her emotional well-being. She loves the Robot and the way her 6 daughters can drop by remotely to visit with her on a regular basis...no matter where they live!! It is as if we are right there. The mobility aspect of the Robot is key for us and the fact that our Mother doesn't have to operate anything, press anything, adjust anything etc ( because at 94 she wouldn't be able to manage that).

Most telepresence robots are designed for business use. They're expensive, but the argument is that they work significantly better than a phone call and they pay for themselves since you don't have to spend so much time and money traveling instead. OhmniLabs, a Silicon Valley robotics startup with CMU roots (they're advised by Manuela Veloso) wants to make telepresence robots easy and affordable enough that people start using them to stay connected with their families. In order for that to work, their telepresence robot (called Ohmni) is designed to be as independent as possible--you can send it to someone who isn't at all comfortable with tech, and they can take it out of the box, turn it on, and it'll just work. It's potentially ideal for family members who you don't live close to, or elderly family members who you like to talk to (and check up on) regularly. It seems like a good idea in theory, so we decided to give it a try.

Yesterday, OhmniLabs (a robotics startup based in Santa Clara, Calif.) launched a new consumer telepresence robot on Indiegogo called Ohmni. With a lightweight design, integrated screen, and easy to use software, Ohmni is designed to be the most accessible (and affordable) mobile telepresence robot yet. Ohmni is heavily focused on ease of use, which is always a good idea when developing a robot for consumers. It arrives completely assembled (folded in half), and setup consists of unfolding it, meaning that you can send it to a relative with minimal computer experience and not have to worry. The display, audio, and video hardware are all integrated, so there's nothing to mess with there, either.