The Telebuddy®: collective tele-presence and tele-conversation through physical avatars

In this article, we will give an overview of a concept and project focusing on the establishment of collective tele-presence and tele-conversation through physical avatars. A major goal of this concept is to enable new ways of communication between internet users and people in different roles at remote locations. Particularly the development and use of a physical avatar as a means for communication between internet chatters and real people in the outside world were essential to this project and demonstrate a new form of physical appliance. To support this development, a main research topic was the inclusion of wireless networks for the connection to the physical avatar and the transmission of audio, video and auxiliary data, as well as location information and a control for gestures and mimics. Use scenarios will provide an overview of the different roles people can assume while using the system.