Humanoid Robot Helps Customers in Tokyo Department Store
Uncanny valley, anyone?
Toshiba Corp. has unveiled their humanoid robot in an upscale department store in Tokyo to provide audio guidance to customers.
Her name is Aiko Chihira, a friendly-looking Japanese speaking robot that talks and moves as humanly as possible. She has human-like expressions, blinks, has lip movements, and bows. She isn’t modeled after anyone in particular and is meant to be approachable. Chihira offers a six-minute introduction to customers about the department store as well as any events there.
Chihira appeared in events before, but this is the first time she will be providing customer service. She is at the Mitsukoshi department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
Would you interact with her if you saw her at the mall? Is it cool or creepy? What do you think?
(via The Wall Street Journal)
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