Double: Our Suggestions
Double v2 should create their own headpiece or build an audio augmentation
From our point-of-view, the greatest limitation the double had was all within the head of the device – which is limited to the power available on the iPad itself. And while the iPads and other devices will obviously improve (as we saw with the change from the iPad2 to the iPad Air), we here at Pilot Presence would recommend that the team at double build their own tablet device (or work in concert with Apple or Samsung or whatever) that focuses on the needs of a pilot in a remote location.
If they could, double could create a headpiece that supports better audio pickup, speaker and video quality with their own dedicated processor and control system. And, if possible, make sure the wifi solutions are better as well.
If not that, consider creating a physical component that could become part of
Double v2 should create their own video plugin or control application
The experiences that the guys from Suitable are instructive in this area, where they focused on reducing the video and command latency while ensuring as high a quality of video as they could. Rather than building a browser-based solution, Suitable built their own application – similar to how Google has for Hangouts. double should invest the time into this effort to ensure a greater quality of performance and reduction of latency.
Double v2 should create a unified navigation view
While we can respect the challenge of handling the video feeds from two cameras might be too much for the software acceleration, we highly recommend creating a combined view to help avoid the pilot looking like they are unaware as they navigate through a space. By adding this little change, the navigation using the double should markedly improve.
Final Comments
When we at Pilot Presence speak to individuals who are using these telepresence devices, we often hear of the “coolness factor” and the “fun of navigating a remote control device”. But when you ask about their long-term use, they tend to drop off saying that the devices really are not working in comparison to face-to-face or a simple Skype or phone call.
When asking about which device they are using, they tend to discuss less-expensive devices like the vGo or the double – since they were easier to access due to their price point.
If you are serious about having a proper proxy presence, then we can recommend the double as a device you can use for this purpose, but we enthusiastically suggest that the iPad Air for the headpiece is required and be prepared to accept the limitations of the audio system and the lack of a combined navigation view.
We love the device’s acceptance and the design, and we love that the price-point is more accessible than other offerings, but the current audio limitations of the double is the greatest hinderance to date, followed by the challenge in effective navigation and immersion.