Take a look at Hiroshi Ishii's "Clearboard" etc (look on YouTube)
I skype frequently. To feel connected, simply having the camera imbedded in the monitor itself is enough to convince the other person that I'm looking at them in the eye.
I remember Sama saying that you thought the missing component of remote tools could be something chemical so I was hoping to hear something along those lines. Discovering such mechanisms would be truly exciting!