Robots have taken over the shopping malls. Flee.
The robot in this case is called Palette. It’s a Japanese creation that changes poses when it “senses” window shoppers taking in the view. Some Japanese boutiques have already started renting the bots for about $3,000 apiece ($50,000 to own).
“It makes the product the mannequin wears look more attractive, increasing consumers’ appetite to buy,” says Tatsuya Matsui, chief robot designer and the boss of Flower Robotics.
For now, the robot’s movement is based on a proximity sensor. In the future, facial recognition software will allow Palette to change poses based on the viewer’s sex and even the logos on their shopping bags.
Version 3.0 will presumably tackle shoppers who dare enter a store with a competitor’s bags in hand. I fear for the mall rats of the future, I really do. [Inventor Spot]
