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Technology is not being invented just for the pleasure of nerds (or technophiles, sounds better). Sometimes, a very basic idea based on existing technologies might as well enrich human faculties or compensate for disabilities.

Meet PEEBLES, thanks to the Boston Globe (http://www.internetactu.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/pebbles.jpg).

PEEBLES is an advanced videoconference system designed for helping handicapped children unable to leave their homes to be “present” in a conventional classroom. Technically, PEBBLES is barely a robot equipped, obviously, with usual audio and video sensors, but also with a series of artificial members – such as a hand – remotely controlled by the disabled children. This allows a virtual “presence” within a real classroom (you can raise hands to ask a question, for instance).

 OK, this article has been published quite a while, and the technnological intensity of the device seems fairly low, (while the girl is definitely ugly): however I still found this information interesting.

As usual, let’s just speculate about possible extensions of such a system: are disabled children the only potential targets of PEEBLES ?

 Just imagine having an electronic “duplicate”  – well, not exactly a human-looking clone: there’s still a long way before today’s most realistic androids are confused with humans – stored in the premises of your office. If, being stucked powerless in your taxi because of the traffic, you miss a meeting, then just ask your colleagues to take your duplicate out of the locker, turn in your PEEBLES-compatible handheld device, and here we go for the meeting !

I already anticipate your legitimate objections.

1) There is a huge variety of human mimics, smiles, expressions, etc…and PEEBLES cannot replace them

2) Nobody would want to negotiate a deal with a machine

3) The taxi fares will surely soar.

Well, isn’t there a price to pay for anything ?

You had already heard about Cartoréso, a cutting-edge network mapping software that’s looking for an entrepreneurial mind to get started. Here’s another very promising academic project: the Viki Project. Nicolas Vienne and Julien Tavernier, two bright students at prominent French engineering university Ecole Centrale Paris, have came up with this amazing technology (see the video below or click here if it doesn’t appear properly) consisting in piloting a mouse via detecting hand movements.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zqCtu9_cTo]

Astonishing, isn’t it? Nicolas and Julien, who major in advanced electronic and computer systems and are soon to graduate with their engineering degree, have been doing a great job in the lab at school. But they don’t want their technology, named the Viki Project, to remain a lab invention. Julien and Nicolas (the latter just told me a much better version was on its way!) are indeed looking for either selling their innovation to an established company willing to manufacture it as a self-standing product, or finding investors to help them take it to the market.

As I’m pretty sure you’re interested in at least meeting with the guys to discuss business opportunities, here are their e-mail addresses: nicolas[dot]vienne[@]student[dot]ecp[dot]fr and julien[dot]tavernier[@]student[dot]ecp[dot]fr. Feel free to contact them, stating clearly in your e-mail what you might do with/for them &/or together.

UPDATE 8th Feb. 2007 10:43am: Nicolas just told me he was planning to make their source code available to the public. In other words, although Julien & Nicolas are still planning to make some money out of their amazing project, their software is to be made open source.