Sharon Simatwo Undergraduate Dissertation 2014/15

Telepresence and virtual visiting

Supervised by A.Sharkey

Abstract

Communication technology has over time made the world a smaller place. Studies have shown that the use of richer media in communication such as video as compared to others like audio and text enhances the feeling of closeness between people. Telepresence robots have since their development in the 90s been used in different sectors such as elderly care, business and education to enhance presence between physically distant people.  Could the use of a telepresence robot in communication create an even greater feeling of connection between people as compared to other media such as video and audio communication? This report explores the views of participants in the UK and Kenya on the use of different media in communication and the effect of a telepresence robot on creating an even greater feeling of connection.