Robot avatar beaming put to the test

The BBC has been given an exclusive demonstration of how the technology of 'beaming' robot avatars works, allowing a kind of 'physical' interaction at a distance.

Professor Mel Slater, who is affiliated to both University College London and the University of Barcelona, demonstrated his pioneering technology to the BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones.

He showed how he could "beam" his wife, Dr Mavi Sanchez-Vives who was in Barcelona, into his office in London, in the guise of a robot.

Video produced by Dougal Shaw in London. Additional filming in Barcelona produced by University of Barcelona's TV Team (UBTV)