Companion Humanoids · Part of The Humanoid Group
Remote Presence
Telepresence robots put you in the room when you can't be there. You typically drive the robot from a browser or app, move between rooms and talk face to face on its screen, whether visiting family, a classroom or the office.
By Emily Carter
Reviewed . Prices and availability are read live.
Buying advice
Ask for mobility tests, then trial on site
Mobility claims are hard to compare across makers. ISO 18646-1:2016 sets test methods for the indoor locomotion of wheeled service robots, so ask whether Ava Robotics, OhmniLabs and Double Robotics can share results measured that way. Then borrow or rent a unit and let the person who will drive it remotely try a full visit on your own premises. Walk the route with a phone to find Wi-Fi dead spots, and check that the robot holds its call as it moves between access points, because a dropped link can leave it stranded halfway down a corridor.
Data duties when organisations stream video
When a school, employer or care provider runs a telepresence robot, the video and audio it carries are personal data, and Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation, applies. Before the robot goes live, decide whether any session is recorded, where streams are routed and stored, and how people in its view are told it is active. Bedrooms, bathrooms and treatment rooms need clear rules of their own. Because the robot moves among people, also ask the maker how it meets ISO 13482:2014, the safety standard for personal care robots, which includes mobile servant robots, especially if frail residents or small children share its space.
Budget lines beyond the robot itself
At the October 2026 check, anything priced on this page cost between roughly $3,000 and $12,000, the OhmniLabs Robot and the Ava Telepresence marking the two ends, and no listing was quote-only. Ask each maker which costs recur: software or cloud licences per robot, extended warranties, replacement batteries and any paid support for the people driving it remotely. Allow for your own IT time to approve the robot on the network and keep its firmware current. If several people will call in, compare how each maker charges for additional remote users before you settle on a model.
What to look for
- Screen size, camera quality and audio for the rooms it will work in
- How it docks and charges, and how it handles doorways and floor changes
- Who can call in, and the access controls for guests
Common questions
Does the person at home need to do anything?
Usually very little. On most models the robot waits on its dock until someone calls in. Agree together who may connect and when, and review the maker's privacy settings.
Are telepresence robots only for offices?
No. The same idea works in homes, schools and care settings: anywhere someone wants to be present without travelling. Choose a model sized for the rooms and floors it will move through.
Sources and further reading
- ISO 18646-1:2016 Performance test methods for service robots: locomotion for wheeled robots — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Test methods for how wheeled service robots move indoors, useful for comparing makers' mobility claims on equal terms. - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) — European Union (EUR-Lex).
The EU data protection law that applies when schools, employers or care providers stream or record people on camera. - ISO 13482:2014 Safety requirements for personal care robots — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Safety requirements for personal care robots, including mobile servant robots; a revised edition is at final-draft stage.
People also search for telepresence robot, telepresence robot for home, telepresence robot for school, telepresence robot for office, virtual presence robot and video robot on wheels.