Photo Credit: Sun Microsystems LaboratoriesWith Sun’s prototype “porta-person,” someone working remotely can be “present” at a meeting as a box with a display showing either his or her actual face or a line drawing of a generic face. Stereo microphones allow the remote worker to hear the direction from which a person in the room is speaking; the remote worker can then swivel the box to “face” that person and speak to him or her through stereo speakers.
Technology Review reports that the porta-person is already used by researchers at Sun's laboratory in Burlington, MA and there are plans "to test it more widely within the company before deciding whether to commercialize it." I hope they are quick about it, I have to go real bad.
"Nicole is obviously dealing with a big problem, motivated by Sun's own use of the technology; it addresses their work practices directly," says Schmandt. "It is an important and growing problem, not just because more people are working out of homes or at odd hours so they can raise their kids or save a few bucks on gas. Organizations are increasingly global, which means people spread across space and time zones."
The reason that this story appears on this weblog rather than elsewhere: I recently had a telephone call from a Nabuur.com facilitator and at the end of the conversation he suggested teleconferencing as a means of participation.
Looking back, I suspect this was an assessment of my fund-raising ability. You know, get my family and friends to send money to the post office box by way of Money Gram and Western Union.
