Hospitals introduce robot receptionists who understand 20 languages

  14 June 2016    Read: 1631
Hospitals introduce robot receptionists who understand 20 languages
Receptionist roles have been taken up by ROBOTS at two Belgian hospitals adding mechanism to medicine for patients.
Pepper the humanoid assistant speaks slowly and judders when he moves, but he`s 100% friendly when offering a welcome to visitors at hospitals in Ostend and Liege.

Wearing a screen on his chest and a round head, Pepper is the first robot in the world to be used to greet people in a medical setting, his software creators said.

Unveiled at the Centre Hospitalier Regional La Citadelle, the 4ft 7in robot moves on wheels and has recognition for 20 languages.

He can also establish whether he`s speaking to a woman or child, reports Yahoo .

Costing around £23,775, it`s hoped that Pepper will soon be able to accompany patients to their required destination in Liege as he already is in AZ Damiaan hospital in Ostend.

The Belgian firm Zora Bots developed the software and says Pepper`s components come from Asia but are assembled in France.

They have previously been tested in Japanese shops and French malls: "But it`s the first time that they will be used in reception," said a spokesperson.

Smaller robots named Nao, standing 57cm tall, have been produced by the same company and are currently used in 300 hospitals and care homes worldwide .

In Liege and Ostend, they are used as a support tool in the paediatric and geriatric departments.


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