For the first time in Israel: The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot is proud to present a state-of-the-art tool: The C U ROBOT. As part of the Museum’s focus on accessibility through the use of innovative technologies, Beit Hatfutsot has launched a new robot tour that was developed specifically for Beit Hatfutsot. This tour will allow thousands of people with disabilities and special needs who are unable to visit the Museum in person to experience a full guided tour from the comfort of their homes. This robot is the first of its kind in Israel, and one of the only ones in use in museums around the world.
Earlier this week, Beit Hatfutsot won the Simcha Lustig Award at the Access Israel’s 7th Annual International Conference 2019 for its robot tours. This award is given to projects that advance accessibility in Israel, and improve the lives of people with disabilities and help them better integrate into society. The C U ROBOT program at Beit Hatfutsot was awarded this prize for being “a trailblazer, [an] original product that encourages the improved accessibility and quality of life for people with special needs in Israel; a device that gives hope to many people with disabilities around the world and offers [them] a chance to enjoy exhibitions in the museum; [and] a product that is also a model for other institutes to follow.” Hagay Kraus, the Online Director of the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot received the reward from Yuval Wagner, the President and Founder of Access Israel, and Adv. Michal Rimon, the CEO of Access Israel.
Dan Tadmor, the CEO of Beit Hatfutsot, emphasized Beit Hatfutsot’s commitment to accessibility: “Our slogan is “You Are Part of the Story,” which applies to all of the Jewish people, including those with disabilities and special needs. The new robot is one of many new ideas that make Beit Hatfutsot a leader when it comes to accessibility.”
Visitors who take the robot tour enjoy a private guided tour with a guide who has been specially trained to use this new technology. During the tour, visitors can see the guide and the exhibitions via 3 cameras that allow for a 360-degree view of the Museum. Visitors can also fully control the robot’s movements, and communicate directly with their guide, as if they were physically in the Museum
This award is the culmination of months of hard work developing these unique tours. Beit Hatfutsot will shortly begin offering this service to visitors in Israel and abroad.
Watch the official launch video for the C U ROBOT:
