Ohmni - The Telepresence Robot

The area of home robotics is highly interesting, and keeps growing by leaps and bounds. There is no dearth of robots that are available to do our domestic chores. Many companies are exploring newer and innovative ways to best address growing potential markets out there. Here comes the newest addition to this ever-growing list – Ohmni Telepresence, a robot that automatically connects so that you can easily video chat with your family members or roam around your house virtually. Isn’t that great? This smart robot is the brainchild of Ohmni Labs, co-founded by Jared Go and Thuc Vu. The company aims to bridge the gap between human connections and bring people together digitally.

Ohmni Telepresence is a home robot, and has a built-in camera that sits atop a tall shat. The base has a flat platform and wheels that are powered by Glide Drive that includes brushless motors that help get around easily and smoothly and not create disturbing noises. Ohmni Telepresence encompasses easy carry-on capabilities, and can be folded easily. It is 4’ 8” tall and weighs just 20lbs. No matter whether you are working hard at office or away on an important business trip Omni Telepresence helps communicate with your family easily. It also acts as a caretaker and keeps an eye on both children and old people at home. Ohmni has already helped someone save his mother’s life. A user from San Diego was on a business trip. He grew worried when his mother didn’t answer his calls one morning. He activated Ohmni and found that his mother was in bed, unwell and unresponsive. He was able to get her the needed medical attention right away.

Telepresence robot is not something totally new. But when it comes to usage at home, Ohmni is the first of its kind, stands out of the crowd for several reasons. It’s affordable pricing is the most important one among them. For just $1899, Ohmni Telepresence is definitely a great deal, given the number of amazing features that it contains. This telepresence robot comes bundled with a tablet, and includes auto docking station that helps charge the robot with a tap on your smartphone. The wheelbase of Ohmni Telepresence is a tripod, and its moving neck can be tilted to different angles as per your need.

You just have to log onto the website with an existing Google or Facebook account – or, there is absolutely no pesky software installation. Users can have Wi-Fi network credentials pre-installed easily on Ohmni Telepresence. The battery used is made of lithium iron phosphate. It’s safer than the commonly used batteries, and lasts for about 5 hours. Ohmni can be customized into different colours and materials. The robot is 100% remote controlled and work in real-time. Or, you don’t have to dial or call to keep in touch your dear ones.

The key advantage is the ease with which it brings together people who are separated by large distances.  While text and voice calling apps, help stay connected, Ohmni automatically connects and helps video chat easily. It lets you virtually join your family, interact, and experience life together.

Would you like to buy one for yourself?


Mastercard unveils biometric card with fingerprint sensors

The days of having to enter your PIN number to make a transaction could soon be over.   Here is a next-gen biometric credit card that helps authenticate payments with fingerprints! US-based Mastercard has unveiled the new biometric card with a small fingerprint reader that can store up to 2 fingerprints on its chip. It resembles a regular card, and the sensor is thumb-nail sized, and sits on the top right corner.

Once the card is ready for public, here is how it might work. As and when the card is available, you have to visit your bank branch and get your fingers scanned. The EMV chip in the card stores the encrypted digital template of your fingerprint. You can save 2 fingerprints but both have to be yours. Or, you cannot authorize someone to use your card with their fingerprints. Once the template is saved, you can use the card at any EMV card terminal. In other words, you don’t have to fear anymore about ATM frauds, or struggle to shield your PIN number from prying eyes anymore.

Biometric login is quite common these days, and has slowly replaced PINs and passwords that were our primary means of unlocking doors, safes, and smartphones. Wondering why? Its unique, secure, and most importantly convenient, given the chances of forgetting passwords and signatures. No two people have the same fingerprint, the chances. Hence it makes complete sense that Mastercard is testing fingerprint sensor enabled cards that help safely authorize each transaction. You don’t have sign any papers or enter PIN numbers anymore, just place your thumb, and you can prove your identity and pay your bills.

The biometric cards are currently tested in South Africa. Mastercard plans to roll them out to other part of the world by the tail-end of 2017. However, you will have to wait for banks and other financial institutions to get on-board without delay.

When it comes to contact-less payment, Apple holds the monopoly now, as it uses biometric method in Apple Pay to authenticate payments.

Are fingerprint-sensor-embedded cards more secure? Will it help prevent fraudulent activities? What do you feel?