People who've never been able to tour the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, can now do so. "Genie" is a camera on wheels that can be controlled remotely by someone with wi-fi and a computer.
Executive director, Tim Schiffer, says it's designed for people who are bed-ridden or homebound.
He calls it "Skype on wheels," and says Genie is already being used by art museums in San Francisco and Detroit.
Genie is made possible by a partnership with Genesis Health System, in Davenport, which will make appointments for patients and others who would benefit from the service.
So far the robot will only tour the permanent collection on the second floor, but eventually he hopes Genie will be able to take people to the temporary exhibitions on the 3rd and 4th floors. And it might also be used by school groups, preparing for a visit to the museum.
