Mannequin Robot
A Japanese robotic mannequin can change a pose when a customer walks by.
The robot uses a proximity sensor to detect how close the shopper is and then changes its pose. They hope to one day use facial recognition software to determine a viewers sex and even make the robotic mannequins react to shopping bag logos.
Tatsuya Matsui, chief robot designer of Flower Robotics explains why they animated a mannequin.
It makes the product the mannequin wears look more attractive, increasing consumers’ appetite to buy.
Store owners can rent the mannequins for about $5,000 for an 11 day period including shipping time or buy them for $50,000.
The mannequin is also available as a an upper torso only model. Both mannequins are made by a company called Flower Robotics.
