Photo by ramblingrovers on Flickr
Starting sometime during the second week of September, UNIQLO will add a very special new member to its staff at the SoHo store in New York City. The new member will not be human however, but rather a humanoid(ish) machine named Wakamaru.
Think of Wakamaru as the extremely basic Honda Asimo. Wakamaru was designed by Toshiyuki Kita
of Japan to serve as an aid to the elderly and the disabled. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries helped develop and manufacture Wakamaru for consumers in 2005.
Wakamaru’s job at UNIQLO will be primarily to impress shoppers and to get them reeled into the store to buy stuff. How will Wakamaru accomplish this? By being the absolute coolest and cutest sales member in all of New York! Wakamaru will greet customers, shake their hand, and talk to them.
Sounds pretty neat to me. I’m sold! I’m heading on over to UNIQLO as soon as Wakamaru sets foot (wheels?) on the hardwood floor.
which dots are the eyes?
i saw wakamaru today…he’s still in training i think.