August 15, 2007
Videoconferencing ties seniors with families
News.com described some of the latest videoconferencing technology, including a 3D system called TEEVE, a telepresence dining experience for seniors called Virtual Dinner, and relevant to cell phones, from HeadThere, a San Francisco start-up, a mobile-videoconferencing device called the
Giraffe. The system includes a video monitor and a camera.
"Although HeadThere is planning to initially sell its device to the commercial market, it has seen increasing interest from family members who wish to use it in the homes of their elderly parents or relatives.
"It would be useful for the elderly, since there are no requirements for technical savvy," said Roy Sandberg, a HeadThere co-founder.
The Giraffe is stationed in a docking bay, and once the phone rings, either the recipient can answer it, activating the Giraffe, or the account holder can activate the Giraffe without user interaction.
The Giraffe is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2008."
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