OIT is excited to offer a new service: Kubi - Remote Presence Technology. Kubi is a robotic “neck” that holds a tablet and allows a remote user to control the tablet through a Zoom video conference meeting. From their own computer, the remote student can see, hear, and speak with their instructor and classmates using the tablet’s camera and microphone. The Kubi allows the remote student to take charge of their experience by moving the tablet 320 
degrees side-to-side and 90 degrees up and down. This remote attendance tool removes barriers to classroom participation for students who are not physically able to attend face-to-face classes.
You may have heard of Kubi through the Academic Technology Design Team’s Kubi Innovation Grant Pilot. The pilot explored ways to help students who could not be physically present in the classroom due to extenuating circumstances. During the pilot, Kubi allowed students to keep up with their coursework and prevented them from being absent, falling behind, and possibly needing to withdraw. Read more about the Kubi pilot in the EDUCAUSE Review article “Using Telepresence Robots to Support Students Facing Adversity.” Based on the success of this pilot, OIT has transitioned to providing a Kubi Service.
The Kubi Service is now available to CU Boulder students for a variety of circumstances that would benefit from remote attendance. Visit the Kubi service page for more information and find out if Kubi could suit your needs.
Photo by Glenn Asakawa
