Meet Pepper

Throughout 2017 we’re going to be exploring the possibilities potentialities and actualities of the humanesque robot Pepper. I say humanesque rather than humanoid because Pepper isn’t designed to look like a human. Humanoid robots are somewhat creepy / intimidating / unnatural and don’t trigger sympathetic responses in real human beings.

Back to design basics. It’s about first impressions. Remember your first iPhone? You probably do. Even if it was an iPhone 1, the buggy, non-telephone call making handset that felt and looked beautiful before you even lifted it from the box.

The hardware sold it. Then came the software, all the apps, the hundreds of functionalities, and we were smitten.

Emotional Engagement. People don’t queue for days to get the next iPhone because they need that upgraded handset. They love it because they love it. They’re emotionally engaged. Emotional engagement lead to emotional attachment. Now you care. Now you’re a customer for life.

Read full article in the next issue of DISRUPTS

#retail #robots #pepper