VGo Robotic Presence

The VGo robotic presence is being used in schools successfully for students with chronic illness. The article discussed how one child with chronic stomach migraines was able to attend school daily through this VGo robot. He was able to socialize with friends, learn new curriculum, and participate in the class without actually being at school. The VGo robot is available for approximately $10,000 plus an additional monthly contract fee of around $100.00. This robot includes a remote control, charging cables, battery (with about a 6 hour life), charging docking station, and app with up to 20 users. Students need access to a laptop, which the VGo robot work through. Students can touch a button on the laptop that causes the robot to light up when they want to answer a question or participate in discussion. The VGo robot allows students to "be" at school from their own home. This VGo robot while very helpful, is rather expensive. Some school systems are purchasing and using these. I think they are very practical to use, but I think the amount of money it would take to make these available may be too much for school systems to purchase consistently. I feel that one problem administrators may run into is once you provide one for one student, you have to be able to provide them for any student that needs it. You won't be able to pick and choose. That could get expensive fast for school systems. The other negative side to the VGo in schools is that for each VGo being used in the school, someone would have to charge it daily and make sure the robot gets to the right classes all day. This would require some commitment from other students. The VGo robot is also being used in the healthcare field. VGo does provide each user with unlimited helpdesk access for any troubleshooting issues they may have. Overall, I think the VGo robotic presence is a great idea for students with chronic illnesses, but I think it will be costly for school systems and parents. However, that may be a small price to pay for a quality education if you child has a chronic illness.