About Pilot Presence

My name is Sanford Dickert and I am a product manager/evangelist for technologies focusing on collaboration and team dynamics. Before I became a product person, I was an engineer working to develop a state-of-the-art robot manipulator called ARTISAN that was potentially going to revolutionize robotics.

My dream was to create tools that would help connect and engage people in ways we had yet to discover. Robotics was a personal passion – one that I set aside ten years ago for dotcoms, telecoms, politics, teaching and e-commerce. In November of 2009, I got a chance to join the robotics world once again in a way that could change the future of how we work – by shifting where we work. And that future is remote presence.

After re-engaging in robotics with Willow Garage with the Texai project, I saw my enthusiasm for robotics rekindled and have been keeping an eye out for how remote presence will become a reality. After I finished my project, I did not want the insights I had generated to fade off. So I decided to use this site share my new-found knowledge and to chronicle the growth and development of this space.

Submissions and leads are welcome and yes, we do accept notifications on new breakthroughs and stories.