Double 3 Telepresence Robot Makes It Easy to Navigate Office Space

Double Robotics has recently announced their new telepresence robot Double 3, which brings a host of new features over the previous robot that was released back in 2016. The earlier models had a steep learning curve when it came to piloting the robot around, especially when trying to avoid obstacles. This time around, navigation is a breeze as the Double 3 takes advantage of 3D sensors and cameras that allow users to point-and-click to their destination.

The robot packs an integrated 9.7-inch integrated touch screen (gone is the iPad 2), and a wealth of other technology- including 6X beamforming microphones, a pair of front-facing 13-megapixel cameras (one super wide-angle lens, one super zoom lens), and an 8-watt full-range speaker. On the sensor side, the Double 3 packs two Intel RealSense stereovision depth sensors, five ultrasonic range finders, two wheel encoders (2048 PPR each), and one 9-DOF IMU, all powered by an NVIDIA Jetson TX2–4GB SoC.

The Double 3 robot uses that sensor array to provide users a slick mixed-reality overlay of the environment, presenting a dot grid on the floor that enables users to click to where they want to go, much like the Sims video game. The robot can then proceed to the chosen destination while avoiding any obstacles in its path, which eliminates that strict piloting learning curve that came with the previous models. Another great feature lets users take control of the front-facing cameras that can pan, tilt up and down, and zoom in/out, making it easy to read documents on a desk or zooming in on presentations.

The self-balancing mobility system with lateral control remains the same, which is excellent for Double 2 owners that want to upgrade, which is quickly enough done by replacing the head. The Double 3 is expected to launch in September with prices starting at $3,999. More information on the Double 3 telepresence robot can be found on Double Robotics’ website.