Kubi Classic is a telepresence robot that allows you to interact with your family, friends, and co-workers, even when you are not in the room or in the same building.
The difference between a telepresence robot and an ordinary video conferencing app is that a telepresence robot offers more interactions, with the avatar being able to move about and look around.
Kubi is the Japanese word for “neck.” The Kubi Classic does resemble a robot head and neck, mimicking a human’s movement, able to turn its head and look up and down.
Use cases
The Kubi can be used by online universities so that students who work from home can present reports and other school work to teachers and even other classmates.
It can also be used by doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers when giving medical instructions and advice to patients who may be confined at home.
In business settings, the Kubi Classic allows you to join meetings and discussions even if you cannot be there physically. Your colleagues and workmates will be able to feel your presence as well as interact with you even if you are on a business trip abroad.
The Kubi Classic is not only simple to use, but it is also very engaging. You can control the Kubi from wherever you are in the world, and you can change the direction of where it is looking towards, allowing you to see more of the room and to maintain eye contact with whoever is talking to you.
Using Kubi Classic
The Kubi Classic is very easy to use. All you have to do is download the mobile app provided by your preferred video service on your Android or iOS device, then pair the robot with your device.
If you want to control the robot, you can download the Kubi Control app or use any Web browser. The Kubi Control allows you to control the robot in one window while you are having a conference call on another window.
You can call the Kubi Classic using any supported or compatible mobile app. The Kubi’s integrated services include Zoom and Video on Kubi.
There is also an iOS app that would allow you to record a video and then add movements to it. When you playback the video, the Kubi Classic will automatically do the movements alongside the video as you have programmed it.
Features
Spring loaded mount. The Kubi Classic is a desktop telepresence robot that you can use to interact with people who are far away. However, it does not have its own display.
The robot’s head has a spring loaded mount that can easily accommodate an iOS or Android tablet measuring between 7 inches and 10 inches diagonally.
Pan and tilt the head. The robot’s head can move, allowing you to face any person around you. You can pan it up to 300 degrees, while also tilting the head 45 degrees up or down. The robot has a removable base.
The telepresence robot includes a mini-USB cable and AC power adapter in the box. It is designed to be portable, measuring only 2.5 inches in diameter for the base and 11.8 inches in height. It weighs only 1.7 lbs. with the base installed but only 0.8 pounds without the base.
What you would love about the Kubi Classic
The Kubi Classic is designed for simplicity. The telepresence robot uses a mount for your mobile device, adjustable arms that secure the tablet in place, and a removable stand.
Also, the Kubi Classic has a unique feature called the Kubi Animate. This app should prove very useful if you plan to use the telepresence robot to do routine things, such as welcome customers to your store or greet family members arriving at your family reunion.
The animate feature not only plays back your recorded video but would execute all movements that you have programmed it to do.
The thing with the Kubi Classic is that it is very flexible and can be used in a variety of situations out of the box. However, the manufacturer has made an API available for those who want to create custom integrations and introduce new functions and features into the robot. The API is available at api.kubi.me.
Furthermore, you would love how you can use a desktop computer or just about any Web browser to control the robot. Because the app splits the screen between the video call and the controls, you would love the bigger screen
real estate.
The Kubi Classic comes with one lithium ion battery and an AC adapter that allows you to just recharge the robot when not in use. The battery, the dimensions, and the light weight of the Kubi Classic makes it easy for you to lug it around.
What could be better
The Kubi Classic allows you to use different apps. You can use it with mobile apps such as Vidyo and other third-party apps that support Kubi. You also have the Kubi Control and then the Kubi Animate.
While the manufacturer may have done this in order to make it easier for those who are already using the third-party apps, it can create confusion. It would have been better if there was a single app that allows you to do everything.
Also, the Kubi Animate app is not available for Android users. The Kubi Control app is also not available on Windows Phone devices.
The Kubi Classic is a desktop remote presence robot. It cannot move around from room to room. This means that somebody would have to carry it into the conference room or to the location of the meeting you want to attend.
This means that you would need to assign somebody the task of setting up the robot on the desktop.
Other remote presence robots are able to move around on their own, using technology that allows them to know exactly where they are and where they should go.
Meanwhile, there are also other remote presence robots that are manually controlled, so you need to guide and direct them as to where they should go.
The Kubi Classic also does not have its own screen, so you need to use your tablet to function as its screen. For some, this could be a turn-off.
The telepresence robot costs a minimum of $600 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here), depending on the customization you want. You would need to spend more for the tablet that you are going to use with it.
For instance, putting an iPad would cost you an additional $329, while using a Samsung Galaxy Tab A would set you back $170. You should also make sure that the tablet you use is not smaller than 7″ in diameter or bigger than 10″.
Kubi also sells a 10-inch tablet that runs on Android 5.1 and has a screen resolution of 2,560 pixels by 1,600 pixels. It has a super fast Octa Core processor and a 4-GB RAM, and it costs only $115.
Alternatives to the Kubi Classic
If you want to save money, check out the Padbot T1 . Like the Kubi Classic, the Padbot T1 uses your mobile device as its screen.
You can mount your iPhone and Android smartphones on the T1 and it will attend meetings for you while perched on the conference room table. Or it could go patrol your house when nobody is around.
The Padbot T1 delivers the same functionalities as the Kubi Classic as far as video conferencing is concerned, but is relatively less expensive at only $169 and is much more portable. You can even put the Padbot T1 inside your bag.
Another Padbot that you should consider is the Padbot U1. This time, the Padbot U1 uses a tablet that measures anywhere from 7 inches to 10 inches. Unlike the Kubi, the Padbot U1 is mobile and can go from room to room.
However, it does cost close to $1,000, which is $400 more expensive than the lowest-priced Kubi Classic.
If a cheaper alternative is what you are looking for, then you should check out the SelfieBot, which is also a stationary remote presence robot. This robot costs less than $200 and can let you see things even in the dark.
The cheapest remote presence robot that is also mobile is the version 2 of the Padbot U1, which retails for $997 (check out the website for current prices).
Lastly, if you are looking for a telepresence robot with a monitor already included in, you have a lot of choices. Prices for this type of telepresence robots can go anywhere from less than a thousand to more than $10,000, such as the Giraff ($11,900) and the Ava 500 ($30,000).
There is also the Amy A1, which functions as a remote presence robot and as your own personal assistant. The Amy A1 costs $7,000.
The final recommendation
The Kubi Classic is a stationary remote presence robot that you should consider. You can get one for as low as $600 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here). It can stand as your fill-in when you have a meeting and you are not in the office.
It can build better rapport and foster more interaction than a mere video conferencing application. It does its job well and delivers real value for your money. There are other alternatives, but they can prove to be more expensive or lacking in certain features.
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