Forget telepresence robots on wheels, Google wants telepresence drones

Drones can do one thing existing telepresence robots can't: fly up and down stairs.

This is one reason why Google thinks telepresence drones are a good idea, according to a U.S. patent discovered by Recode.

The patent, filed in August 2016 but made public on Thursday, describes a lightweight drone that could be used by remote workers to videoconference with colleagues indoors. 

The patent claims the drone system could allow for a remote users to "feel as if they are present, at the same location as that of the second users."

A projection system on the drone could also let remote users project images and videos onto walls and table-top surfaces for their colleagues to see, further creating the illusion of in-person collaboration. Existing telepresence robots (many of which are just an iPad on wheels) don't allow for such collaborative two-way communication. Read more...