Suitable Technologies has announced a telepresence robot, the Beam+, for just under $2000 (pre-order for $995). The device offers a 10-inch screen using two cameras and 4 microphones for video teleconferencing, which is build onto a stalk and moved about by a three wheeled based controlled by the "visitor" through an application on the their end.

When my daughter was in her first year, she reached a point where eating dinner was boring. She fussed and wanted to play, not focus on us sticking food in her mouth as she had not yet gained the dexterity necessary to feed herself. The magic that saved my wife and I from more gray hair was Skype and her grandparents. We had a TV hanging on the wall of our family room, right at the height our daughter could see them while sitting in her high chair. For some meals, we started using Skype as a way for her to have something interesting to do while we managed to scoop as much baby food into her as possible before she became bored with the scene and wanted down.

So the grandparents gained a presence and function in their grandchild's life even when in other countries. With what we now consider simple technologies (Skype video conferencing and an inexpensive Logitech webcam), they had an opportunity to see her eat and make faces and we had the help of distraction. Glorious distraction.

So the Beam+ is an interesting technology for bringing families together when distance doesn't allow and the Skype cam in the other room isn't appropriate at the moment. Watch the video below for Suitable Technologies' presentation of how the device can be used for family interaction. Now, if they just need to make one where the device can FEED the baby. I think they'd sell a billion, mostly bought by grandparents at a distance.