Finding Your Way With Telepresence
Introduction
By Mark Ciotola
First published on September 22, 2024. Last updated on November 3, 2024.
I have long been fascinated by telepresence, literally the ability to be anywhere. High quality video conferencing is a form of telepresence. I facilitate videoconferences for CMU classes that literally span the globe.
It has been said that a long journey begins with a single step. Telepresence can change that. You can go on a long journey without taking any steps. Of course, unless you are using mere imagination, you will require technology.
An early form of telepresence can be said to be the telescope. As early as the 1500s, people were using telescopes to experience distant locations, from large expanses of seas to the moons of Jupiter. Gazing through a telescope is generally a passive form of telepresence. You can’t really do anything to what you see. This observation anticipates active telepresence, where you can take an active role in remote locations.