Pepper

Overview

Pepper

Why Libraries?

Libraries can enhance the educational experience by deploying the socially adept Pepper robot, equipped with natural language processing and interactive capabilities, to provide personalized educational assistance, answer inquiries, and guide patrons through the library’s diverse resources, fostering an engaging and educational environment for patrons of all ages.

Overview

Pepper, the humanoid robot developed by SoftBank Robotics, stands at an impressive height of 47.2 inches and weighs 61.72 lbs. With its remarkable programmable abilities and advanced suite of sensors, cameras, and microphones, Pepper seamlessly engages with people through natural speech and expressive gestures.

Use Cases

  • Interactive Assistance: Pepper can serve as an interactive information assistant in libraries. It can greet patrons, provide directions to different sections or books, and answer basic inquiries about library services, opening hours, and upcoming events.
  • Storytelling Sessions: Pepper can be programmed to deliver engaging storytelling sessions for children. With its expressive movements and voice capabilities, it can captivate young audiences, making storytime sessions more interactive and entertaining.
  • Language Learning Support: Libraries can leverage Pepper to enhance language learning programs. The robot can engage in interactive conversations with patrons, helping them practice their language skills, providing pronunciation assistance, and suggesting vocabulary words.
  • Event Promotion: Pepper can assist in promoting library events, workshops, and lectures by roaming around the library to interact with patrons, distribute flyers, and generate excitement about upcoming programs.
  • Assistive Technology: Libraries can utilize Pepper as an assistive technology tool. It can provide support to users with disabilities, such as visually impaired individuals, by guiding them through the library, assisting with book retrieval, or reading aloud content upon request, creating a more inclusive and accommodating environment.
  • Library Surveys and Feedback: Pepper can act as a survey assistant, approaching library patrons to collect feedback on services, programs, and overall user experience. It can even administer surveys in a conversational manner, making it more engaging for users to participate.
  • Recommending Books: With access to the library’s catalog and relevant data, Pepper can suggest books based on users’ interests, preferences, and reading history. It can engage in personalized conversations, ask questions to understand users’ tastes, and offer recommendations tailored to their needs.

These are just a few examples of how libraries can utilize Pepper to enhance user experience, provide interactive services, and promote engagement with library resources and programs. The specific applications can vary depending on the library’s needs, goals, and target audience.

FHNW – University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland: LTI Lab’s First Partnering University

FHNW is one of Switzerland’s leading universities of applied sciences and arts, actively involved in teaching, research, continuing education, and service provision – both innovative and practice-oriented. Its broad range of degree programs, hands-on concept, innovative, application-oriented research, and global network make FHNW a diversified and appealing educational institution, a sought-after partner to industry, and an attractive employer in northwestern Switzerland.

Social Robot Use Cases at the FHNW Campus Muttenz Library

The awareness of social robotics as part of the advance in technology is constantly growing. To identify the potential benefits of social robots, the FHNW Robo-Lab conducts, among others, a case study at the FHNW Campus Muttenz library, in which the humanoid robot Pepper supports the staff and visitors in their daily business. This bachelor’s thesis aims to identify and implement use cases that best meet the needs of the library and discusses success factors and barriers from the librarian’s perspective.

Tutorials

Specifications

Specs

  • Height/Width/Length

  • Battery

    • Charging time 
      • 40% after 4 hours, full charger after 8 hours 20 minutes
      • Battery duration from 7 to 20 hours, based on Pepper’s activities
  • Required Programs
    • Android Studio
    • Android SDK and Build-Tools
    • Bonjour (Preloaded on Mac computers)
    • C++ Redistributable Packages (Windows Only)
    • Pepper SDK Plugin
    • Robot SDK Plugins and Tools
  • Compatibility
    • Linux
      • Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus – 64-bit only
    • Windows
      • Microsoft Windows 10 – 64-bit only
    • Mac
      • Mac OS X 10.12 Sierra
    • Programming Languages
      • Java (Via Android Studio)

Additional Resources