Systems and methods for remote presence

Abstract

Remote presence systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a pilot workstation comprising a pilot computing station having a display, a microphone, a camera oriented to capture images of the pilot, a network connectivity subsystem, and a master input device such as a keyboard, mouse, or joystick. The pilot network connectivity subsystem may be operatively coupled to an electromechanically mobile workstation comprising a mobile base interconnected to a head component. The mobile workstation may comprise a display, a microphone, a camera oriented to capture images of nearby people and structures, and a workstation network connectivity subsystem that preferably is operatively coupled to the pilot network connectivity subsystem. Preferably by virtue of the system components, the pilot is able to remotely project a virtual presence of himself in the form of images, sound, and motion of the mobile workstation at the location of the mobile workstation.

1 . A remote presence system, comprising:
 a. a remote mobile workstation comprising a controller and a drive system; and   b. a pilot workstation operatively coupled to the remote mobile workstation in a pier-to-pier network configuration such that commands from a pilot operating a first master input device comprising the pilot workstation are communicated to the remote mobile workstation and utilized to navigate the drive system with commands from the controller;   wherein the controller of the remote mobile workstation is configured such that navigation commands from the first master input device will be ignored if navigation commands from a second master input device comprising the pilot workstation are instituted.