Mike Fennelly isn’t easily surprised by cutting-edge technologies, but when he started as an IT guy at a Silicon Valley startup called Evernote, he was caught off guard by a robot rolling around the office.
“It was slightly disturbing for not really knowing what the robot was for at the beginning, and then going, ‘Oh, OK. That’s Phil,’ ” he says.
CEO Phil Libin is also known as the company’s “robotic overlord.” Libin himself isn’t actually a robot, but when he’s out of town, his robot keeps an eye on things.
Technology that allows people to be present even while far away is becoming more affordable than ever. Companies working on “telepresence robots” are building off the idea that busy schedules and the hassle of travel require such products.
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