Cell Phone Controlled Robot Shops For You

The Japanese continue to develop helpful robots for future job outsourcing!

The TMSUK-4 is a prototype telerobotic shopper. Using your cell phone, you can control the robot remotely and see what it sees. It can be used by people too busy (or lazy) to go to the mall themselves, or for more heartwarming purposes, like the scenario used for the company’s demo:

In the demonstration, an unwell grandmother unable to go shopping with her granddaughter sent the robot in her place. Using an NTT DoCoMo video-capable cellphone, the grandmother was able to control the robot and enjoy the shopping experience through the robot’s camera eyes. As curious shoppers looked on, the woman maneuvered the robot to the hat section, eyed what was available on the shelf, and had her granddaughter model a few for her before deciding which one to purchase.

Bringing us one step closer to a future where Mallrats are joined by Mallbots. Sweet.

Via pink tentacle