Virtual reality and augmented reality could greatly improve telepresence robots, but we haven't yet seen any advanced project with commercial intentions that combines these technologies. Fortunately, the situation will soon change thanks to DORA, a rover with a camera so flexible that it can accurately reproduce the movements of the user's head while wearing an Oculus Rift.
"The Oculus Rift is out!" must be huge news in some parallel universe, but in these dimensional coordinates we still have to wait. My opinion on the Oculus Rift is not based on any personal problem with the virtual headset, but on concern. In recent months we have seen too many projects bite the dust, and it would be a terrible blow to virtual reality if something happened to the Rift, especially when it has the backing of a monster like Facebook. On the other hand, the magic of games like Skyrim and Elite: Dangerous has been enhanced on the Oculus Rift, and we must not forget projects like drone flight in first person.
The DORA Rover
Now, it's DORA's turn, Dexterous Observational Roving Automaton. As its name indicates, DORA is a rover that has a camera on top, designed to explore remote regions. If we limit ourselves to these parameters, DORA is probably on par with other similar rovers, but with the Oculus Rift in the equation, the differences become very evident. DORA's camera has the ability to record and mimic the user's movements while using the Rift, providing a much more natural and realistic experience. In other words, DORA and the Oculus Rift can turn remote exploration into a much more complete telepresence session.
The question is whether something like DORA will ever be seen in current telepresence robots. Everything we have observed so far are poles on four wheels and the screen-camera combo at the end. DORA will participate alongside nineteen other robots in the Intel-Cornell Cup that begins next Friday, and its use of the Oculus Rift could make it the winner. As if that were not enough, it is estimated that the commercial price of each unit would hover around two thousand dollars, a number similar to what we find in current telepresence solutions. We definitely want to see more about this robot, and about how it could serve as a bridge between telepresence and virtual reality.
