Turning online digital experiences into experiential ones with the world's leading humanoid robot.

WOKINGHAM, England, Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepper is a humanoid robot designed to be able to communicate with humans. Pepper is capable of identifying our principal emotions - joy, sadness, anger and surprise. Pepper is also capable of interpreting a smile, a frown, your tone of voice, as well as the lexical field and non-verbal language you use, such as the angle of your head. All this is designed to make Pepper's interaction with human beings as natural and intuitive as possible.

Volume, a leading global provider of digital content, technology and next generation interaction platforms is pioneering applications and scenarios where Pepper robots can be deployed to extend and improve customer experience.

Volume's CEO Chris Sykes states, "Pepper's advanced capabilities and world leading animatronics allow us to convert static online interactions into physical experiences. We can train and program Pepper to provide customer information on demand in a shopping mall for example, or to help sell products in a retail outlet. Although internet shopping has grown exponentially over the past decade, we still enjoy the act of shopping in a store and receiving good customer service. Pepper can help to deliver this in a controlled and consistent manner."

Volume has programmed one of its Pepper development units as a robotic receptionist. The robotic reception assistant complements Volume's existing reception staff and reception experience. Pepper acknowledges and greets guests as they approach the unit. It delivers engaging interaction through natural dialogue and chat. Pepper's' facial recognition capability enables a personal welcome, whether a first time guest or returning visitor. New visitors are asked for their name and the meeting host or organiser receives a text, email or IM alert to let them know their guest is waiting in reception. Meetings are fully integrated within the organisation's calendar system.

While the visitor is waiting to be collected, the robot can continue to interact, giving health and safety information or information on the office and the company. Drinks and hot beverages can also be offered and ordered seamlessly.

Sykes comments, "Our reception robot delivers a unique, engaging and memorable experience to our visitors, which enhances our brand and reputation. Pepper is a real talking point and frequent visitors greet the robot as if it were a human or long lost friend. We're also able to manage and track visitors and it will even check them out at the end of the visit. This however, is just one example of where we see a humanoid robot complement humans in a variety of scenarios."

Volume sees industry-wide adoption for these types of robot in the not-too-distant future, from Robot Concierges to Information Advisors, Sales Assistants and Smart Customer Service Reps.

Sykes concludes, "The ability to recreate something that has traditionally been delivered via a website or kiosk into a real-life one-to-one interaction is very powerful indeed. These robots are not gimmicks or fads. They can truly enhance the customer and brand experience, provide consistent and low-cost customer service and support and in time, help hospital patients in their recovery and rehabilitation process, act as counsellors and confidants and even help teachers as classroom assistants."

www.volumeglobal.com