Healthcare tele-robotic system which allows parallel remote station observation

A mobile robot system, comprising:

• a mobile robot that can move across a surface, has a monitor and a camera that capture a video image, said monitor and camera move together in at least one degree of freedom;
• first remote station means for controlling movement of said mobile robot and displaying the video image, said first remote station means being separate from said mobile robot;
• and,
• second remote station means for displaying the video image, said second remote station means being separate from said mobile robot.

A mobile robot system, comprising:

• a broadband network;
• a mobile robot that can move across a surface, said mobile robot being coupled to said broadband network and has a monitor and camera that captures a video image, said monitor and a camera move together in at least one degree of freedom;
• a first remote station that is coupled to said broadband network, said first remote station has a first monitor and an input device that receives input to cause movement of said mobile robot, said first monitor displays the video image from said camera, said first remote station being separate from said mobile robot;
• and,
• a second remote station that is coupled to said broadband network and has a second monitor that also displays the video image, said second remote station being separate from said mobile robot.

A mobile robot system, comprising:

• a broadband network;
• a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network and has a monitor and a camera that captures a video image, said monitor and camera move together in at least one degree of freedom, that is transmitted through said broadband network;
• first remote station means for controlling movement of said mobile robot and displaying the video image transmitted through said broadband network, said first remote station means being separate from said mobile robot;
• and,
• second remote station means for displaying the video image, said second remote station means being separate from said mobile robot.

A method for operating a mobile robot, comprising:

• controlling movement of a mobile robot across a surface through a first remote station and a broadband network, the mobile robot having a monitor and a camera that captures a video image, said monitor and camera move together in at least one degree of freedom, the first remote station being separate from the mobile robot;
• transmitting the video image through the broadband network;
• and,
• displaying the video image at the first remote station and a second remote station that is separate from the mobile robot.