Anybots, maker of telepresence robots, announced the launch of QB, the first professional-quality mobile proxy robot. QB is the first in a line of Anybots made to connect people and locations. Accessible from any web browser, QB represents you throughout the workplace from wherever you are.

Trevor Blackwell, Founder & CEO, Anybots notes, “Remote-presence robots add a new layer to the engagement available for a distributed workforce. The global Internet is now fast enough for millions of people to be streaming live video and 4G cellular data will soon be deployed everywhere – so in very short order, web-based robotics will no longer be limited to facilities with Wi-Fi.”

“Twenty years ago, only the largest businesses could be global”, notes Bob Christopher, COO, Anybots. “Now, the Internet connects everyone and any business can recruit workforces and sell to customers around the globe. Even as the workforce goes global, most business people still have to travel for meetings. QB is our effort to fix that – remote presence is the last missing piece.”

Why a Mobile Proxy Robot?

• A better way to work: Better communication, collaboration and knowledge management between distributed teams, in other buildings or across the world. With a few simple clicks, QB goes where you point it. You feel like you’re there, and colleagues in the office feel like you’re there too.
• Be anywhere instantly: Key employees can go from a customer site to the lab or factory to a conference room in your international headquarters – all via a network of robots. These critical knowledge workers can have presence and visibility throughout the organization and work effectively from home or on the road.
• Happy employees, managers, customers: Remote employees can stay integrated with the office and team. Managers can stay fully connected while on the road. Customers can be brought in for site visits and relationship building. And, unlike video conferencing, the remote person is always in control so never gets left behind when the team continues the discussion in the hallway.
• Business travel is expensive: Beyond saving air fare, QB saves wasted hours and avoids the hassles and hazards of travel.

High-Quality & Interactive

• QB has high quality audio and clear, stabilized-video for a great interactive experience.
• QB glides around on two wheels at 3.5 mph, so you can keep up with groups of people.
• It gets out of the way of people, unlike previous robots that beep people aside.
• Lightweight and safe to be around, it can be easily pushed or carried.
• QB projects a professional appearance so people pay attention and take you seriously when you’re remote.
• QB doesn’t require expensive installation – if you have Wi-Fi, QB is ready to go.
• No need to dedicate a conference room: QB stands in a corner when idle.
• Managers can instantly switch between QBs, or monitor several at a time.

Safe, Easy & Fun

• QB is fun and easy to drive – with a few clicks, you can be in your QB no matter where you are in the world.
• QB is lightweight (35 pounds) and fits in a car seat.
• QB’s soft exterior won’t scratch walls.

The Basics

• Eight hours of battery life
• Supports 802.11g Wi-Fi
• Five megapixel high-resolution video camera
• 3.5 mph normal cruise speed
• Price: $15,000
• Availability: Fall 2010

About Anybots
Anybots is a telerobotics company that offers a one-click way to work with others from anywhere. With Anybots, users are no longer geographically constrained and can jump from place to place with a click of the mouse. With Anybots’ web-based interface, collaboration can happen at light speed without the cost and wasted time of business travel. Anybots can also be personalized to match the people they represent. Anybots was founded in 2001 by Trevor Blackwell, PhD, and is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. For more information, please visit http://www.anybots.com.

Contact
Emily F. Joffrion
Associate, Inner Circle Labs
P:  415-779-6109
E: 
W:  http://www.anybots.com