In the realm of privacy-ending products, spy cameras leave a lot to be desired.
Stationary cameras and nanny cams offer a limited view or a room, and strapping a camera to your Roomba is bound to give you motion sickness. Enter the ROVIO, a mobile home surveillance and telepresence robot.
WowWee, who developed the ROVIO, sees the robot as having numerous telepresence applications, including use in home security, in meetings where the telecommuting party needs to observe multiple objects or people up close, and in lab work where a researcher needs to make observations in conditions that would be hazardous to a human being.
The robot offers both autonomous and web-based remote navigation, with proximity sensors to keep it from crashing into objects. The True Track system enables the interface to track the ROVIO's position by sensing reflected beacons beamed at the ceiling, and the built-in camera can be adjusted to view objects at various heights and angles.
The ROVIO is currently available and retails for $349.99.
