Immunocompromised Students Can Still Attend Classes Despite Their Illness or Disability With the Help of a Telepresence Robot

VGo is a mobile robot acting as a proxy of humans in a distant place. One controls the robot through the internet. Humans can also see, hear, and talk to the robot.

As described in a WIRED report, one can also see the VGo robot around to attend meetings or hang out with people.

This robot is the best substitute for school any student could have gotten. Similar to a video call on wheels, it could attend a student's classes while sick or physically absent from class discussions.

Aside from attending classes despite the illness, a student could attend club meetings, talk to his teachers, and even eat lunch with friends.

Robot Compared with Online Classes

Comparing online classes to the VGo robot, those who have used the robot can confidently say that the latter was "light-years ahead of Zoom" or Google Meet.

Even though connection problems and issues with the audio system were prevalent in both, virtual classes were somehow more robotic compared to real robots.

One consolation users of this technology had, nonetheless, was that virtual classes made school accessible to those who stayed in the hospital.

Even though COVID-19 was no friend to people with immune systems, at least they could still attend online classes with their peers; telepresence robots were no longer needed.

Although Covid-19 was no friend to those with low immune systems, at least they could attend online school with their peers-telepresence robots were no longer needed.

Designed for Remote Students

A high school student in Knox City, Texas, with an illness requiring him to stay at home due to the risk of physically being in class.

The student is a perfect example of a student who's benefiting hugely by being able to attend classes through VGo, or "BatyBot, as it is fondly called at the student's school, the company's website reported.

From the safety of his home, the student is getting on his computer rather than the bus. He's using the robot to move around the school, interact with his teachers, chat with his friend's in-between subjects, and spend the lunch break with them without putting his health in danger.

The pupil is operating his telepresence robot simply with an internet-connected computer equipped with audio features and a webcam. VGo runs for an entire school day prior to its need for recharging.

Robot Anywhere

Aside from the VGo robot, another invention that can help students still be in class despite their health condition is the AV1 avatar.

Also described on the No Isolation website as a "robot anywhere: classrooms, playgrounds, school trips," all a person needs is an internet connection, be it through WiFi or the 4G sim card included in the device.

The absent pupil logs in through this robot from his device, be it a tablet or smartphone. Then, he gets to control the AV1,

From the hospital or home, the student can see, speak in, and hear his lessons as the robot is equipped with a camera, microphone, and speaker.

A student can turn the equipment to view each corner of his classroom and interact as if he was physically present.

They can turn it to view every corner of the classroom and interact as if they were physically present.

Related information about the robot helping immunocompromised children still go to school is shown on Bloomberg Quicktake's YouTube video below:

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