Development of a Family Table

Robots are ubiquitous in popular culture, manufacturing, medicine, and in the military. So far advancements in home robotics, however, have been limited at best. Home robots like the Roomba are limited to basic tasks and often work behind the scenes. In essence, there is little to no deep interaction between humans and robots. The needs of the family are complex and nuanced and currently no true home robot exists. The task of this project is to design a home robot that will better fulfill these hidden needs.
Team NetPosa consists of four graduate students studying Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University and three graduate students studying Business Innovation at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The combined team has experience in design thinking, mechanical design, business, mechatronics, prototyping, machining, and programming.
The Family Table will improve communication and interaction between family members by utilizing interfaces and functions that encourage families to interact. Some of these features include sharing digital media, playing interactive games, and making meals more interactive by making food preparation a social event. In addition, the Family Table will allow remote family members to share mealtime with their family by creating an environment that makes users anywhere in the world feel as if they are together. Remote family members will be able to interact, play games, and share media as if they were together. Because the table is so important to families, the aesthetic of the product will be a very important focus.