On April 13, the Osaka-Kansai Expo (EXPO 2025) will open in Yumeshima, Osaka. Here we report on scenes from the media day held prior to the opening of the Expo.
Seven-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart have opened stores in the Expo site. Among them, we visited the “7-Eleven West Gate Store,” a futuristic convenience store with an interesting initiative in which avatar robots provide remote customer service to assist shoppers.
The avatar robot, officially named “newme,” was developed by avatarin, a start-up company from ANA Holdings, and will be installed at two 7-Eleven stores (West Gate and Water Plaza) at the Expo site and at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion. The system will be installed in front of personal food stands at two 7-Eleven stores (West Gate and Water Plaza) and the Osaka Health Care Pavilion.
At the 7-Eleven store we visited this time, there is a power-generating floor that uses a material that converts vibrations caused by stepping on it into electricity, a Seven Cafe smoothie machine that uses electricity generated by hydrogen, original fresh food made from sustainable ingredients, and products packaged in eco-friendly packaging, The company is taking on a variety of challenges for the “future five years from now. Remote customer service by avatar robots is also a part of these efforts.
In addition, the company is focusing on counter products that allow customers to enjoy “freshly prepared” food, so-called “cashier-side food” and hot snacks, and has a large lineup of fast food menu items that are not available at regular stores.
For example, Japanese sweets such as “Mitarashi Dango/An Dango” (150.12 yen), “Taiyaki” (190.08 yen), and “Matcha Cookie” (250.56 yen) from the series baked in the store, “Fluffy Melon Pan” (160.92 yen), “Choco Croissant” (210.60 yen), “Curry Pan (160.92 yen), etc.
In addition, Seven’s original “Margherita” (780.84 yen per slice, 250.56 yen per cut), “Teriyaki Chicken Pizza” (880.20 yen per slice) and “Corn Mayo Pizza” (250.56 yen per cut) can also be enjoyed freshly made hot.
All items are prepared in the backyard after the order is placed using a special order panel (ticketing machine), so you can take your ticket to the cashier (manned or unmanned) to pay for your order. After a short wait, the food is served at the delivery counter.
Thus, the store is enriched with new technology and products that are not available in regular stores, and avatar robots that move around the store with store employees serve customers.
How do I order fast food? I don’t know how to use the unmanned cash registers,” “How do I operate the machines at Seven Cafe? You can feel free to ask any questions if you have any difficulties in shopping.
Although it is called an avatar robot, the face on the display (the person inside) is a real 7-Eleven employee conversing in real time in the NTT Pavilion Room, a separate room at the Expo site. Although the body of the robot is a robot, you can experience a mysterious convenience store where you feel as if you are talking directly with a store employee.
Eventually, this technology will be used to help reduce labor shortages, improve the work environment wherever it is located, provide attentive customer service, and improve work efficiency.
© Source travel watch
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