Ava 500

At the beginning of June, 2013 iRobot Corporation and Cisco provided the joint development: the independent industrial robot equipped with means of a video conferencing under the name Ava 500.

Creators claim that it is not the next humanoid variation of R2-D2 or just the device which can be managed with iPad and to make video calls. Ava 500 represents autonomous system supplied with means of high-end of audio and HD of video which should become a substitute of the owner, presence at corporate meetings.

The robot independently uses the built-in system of navigation, also he is equipped with the video system of joint work Cisco TelePresence EX60. The idea of creators consists in that using Ava 500 to provide fuller access to remote production sites as it acts as the full-fledged representative of the person. At the same time emphasis is placed on that in the course of communication at interlocutors of Ava 500 psychological barriers in communication with the electronic device were not created, i.e. the maximum effect of presence of the removed interlocutor is provided.

At the same time the machine has intelligence: it can independently move on the building to the meeting place or actions if has the plan of floors, also a system regulates itself on height depending on whether there takes place the meeting standing or being, besides, the robot an easy fit moves in space, bending around obstacles. A system moderates the speed to arrive to a meeting in time, and on its termination independently returns to the charging station.

Cisco created the first robot for an industrial video conferencing: persons interested will be able to purchase him in 2014 for 70 thousand dollars

Ava 500 represents the first experience of Cisco in the field of robotics. Roughly speaking, technologies of Irobot in this model are applied "lower than a belt", everything that above — is provided with Cisco technologies. Except Cisco TelePresence EX60 mentioned above also wireless access point of Cisco Aironet 1600 Series is used. Different sensors (laser, sonorny and 3D) which are responsible for relocation of Ava 500 in space are also important part of components.

The chief futurologist of Cisco David Evans said that Ava 500 can change the culture of joint work at the enterprise, having allowed the owners to be present where before to appear was rather problematic. "Ava 500 opens for us a set of new opportunities. Being the area sales manager, for example, you can visit outlets which inspected within a month earlier, in one day", - Evans gave an example.

Evans works in Cisco 23 years, and he is sure that the world is on a robotization revolution threshold. Ava 500 will be delivered complete with iPad, the elected partners of Cisco will have an opportunity to purchase the robot at the beginning of 2014. The enterprises will be able to take Ava 500 in leasing at the price of $2.5 thousand or to purchase it for $70 thousand.