VGo; Video on the Move

VGo First Impressions

As I look at the pictures in the article, I immediately see a use for this in schools. I can think of at least 3 students at my local high school who could benefit from such a unique and interactive accessibility technology. I can imagine myself as a homebound student who has been learning from home using a text book and being relayed watered down lessons from all of my teachers. At my high school, that is possibly 8 classes of work, tests, quizzes, and no direct interacting with any of my teachers. This technology could change that.

I also think that school systems and technology coordinators will opt to other means of communication instead of this technology. There are two very useful video conference tools that are free: Google Hangouts and Skype that can connect the student from home and to the teacher or class. I believe that the VGo definitely has some good qualities, but I'm not sure that most school systems will jump at this opportunity to allow their homebound students be mobile. If I were the technology coordinator at my school system, I would definitely take a hard look into this technology, but I believe Google Hangouts and Skype are better choices as far as cost and practicality.

What is required for a VGo Robot?

The VGo must be connected to the internet at all times. This is an important aspect of the robot, because if it is not able to get to class to class, then the interactive part for the student will be diminished. The VGo does offer connectivity to Verizon 4G and LTE, which could be a good choice if your WIFI connectivity in your school is minimal. In the high school I work in, the VGo would have little problems navigating the hallways, as our school's WFI infrastructure has been recently upgraded. A VGo robot can cost $5,000 with no extra add ons, such as extended battery life and 4G or LTE connectivity. There is also a service contract that can be purchased through VGo Communications.

To conclude this post, I do think that VGo telepresence is a great tool for homebound students who need social interactions with their peers and teachers. But, I don't think this is a technology that many technology coordinators will be willing to issue to their schools, especially if the school system is large. If you think about cost, in my school system there are 46 elementary, middle, and high schools. If the school system bought 1 VGo robot for each school, that would total to be $230,000. For smaller systems or just for a specific tier of school (ex. just elementary schools) this would make more sense. The VGo is definitely something to watch for in classrooms as technology becomes more mobile and more efficient.