May 14, 2012 | Rohan

I’m sure you’ve streamed music and video over the internet before. Now imagine streaming yourself into a robot or an avatar at another location.

An international research team is investigating this and has dubbed the activity ‘beaming’. Using motion capture technology with 3D glasses, people can remotely operate robots for work or fun.

Robot ‘avatars’ can be used for emergency search-and-rescue missions, or even for life-saving surgery when the real surgeon can’t be present. Researchers in London used an avatar to rehearse a play with actors in Barcelona!