Kyle Nel

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“Lowe’s Innovation Labs Ask Published Science-Fiction Writers To Produce Stories Predicting Futuristic Scenarios For The Store”

December 8, 2014 in Excerpts, Science/Tech, Urban Studies | Permalink

From Kit Buchan at Guardian, a little more about the Lowe’s robotic shopping assistant, OSHbot, one realized idea from the chain store’s Innovation Labs, and one which won’t be replacing human workers, not yet at least:

“According to [Innovation Lab’s Executive Director Kyle] Nel, OSHbot is the product of an extraordinary innovation scheme in which Lowe’s Innovation Labs ask published science-fiction writers to produce stories predicting futuristic scenarios for the store. Lowe’s then seek out what Nel calls ‘uncommon partners’ to help make the stories reality; in OSHbot’s case, the trendy Silicon Valley learning hub Singularity University and the startup robotics firm Fellow Robots.

OSHbot is a 4ft-something, pear-shaped character; limbless, with nothing but a vague green glow for a face, and a screen slanted in front like a starched pinny. ‘It’s basically a roving kiosk; we definitely didn’t want it to have arms or anything like that,’ says Nel. ‘But there’s still lots to figure out, for instance: what voice should the robot have? Should it be male, should it be female? There are so many things we can’t know until we try it.’

Nel is quick to clarify that OSHbot is not a replacement for human beings – rather it is there to ‘augment [the] store associates.'”

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“The Robot Can Lead Them To The Aisle Where An Item Is Located”

October 28, 2014 in Excerpts, Science/Tech, Urban Studies | Permalink

The promise of in the 1920s of automated department stores with robot salespeople was a false one, the technology nowhere near complete. But the robo-staff is ready for its close-up now, as Lowe’s is testing out the nouveau machinery in some of its stores. From Mae Anderson at Phys.org:

“The robots are coming. Lowe’s is testing whether new bots on wheels can improve its customer service, like helping a shopper find a match for something as simple as a nail.

Four robots are being tested an Orchard Supply Hardware store owned by Lowe’s Companies Inc. in San Jose, California.

The robots dubbed OSHbots look like white columns with two large black screens on either side of them, and wheels to help them move. They are equipped with 3D cameras so they can scan and identify items. And customers can research items they want to buy on their screen. Then the robot can lead them to the aisle where an item is located.

‘They’re based on making a science fiction story a reality,’ said Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Lab.

The robots also have a database of what inventory is in stock at the store, so they can let customers know if something is out of stock or not.

‘People can come in with a random screw and say Mr. Robot, I need more of these, and if we do have it in the store, they can find it,’ Nel said. The robots can speak in English and Spanish.”

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