[FinTech] Three Types of Robots Provide Customer Service Through Collaboration with RoBo-LAB

RoBo-LAB is CTC's verification facility that carries out research on the use of robots by companies. Targeting customers who are making specific evaluations about the use of communication robots for their businesses, RoBo-LAB offers support for planning and evaluations about the introduction of robots, carries out demonstrations and confirms the functions of a variety of robots in accordance with situation for the use of robots, and develops robotics applications. For the latest installation of communication robots, RoBo-LAB has provided the robot and IoT integrated platform that CTC has developed that is capable of creating, executing and managing scenarios through the collaboration of various robots, web services and sensors.

The use of robots has been expanding in a variety of sectors, including security, transportation, nursing and welfare operations as well as customer service. The robot market is expected to grow in a noteworthy manner. In the United States the use of service robots that are specialized in commercial operations, including delivering goods and providing room service, has already started. Similarly, services that involve robots are also expected to grow in Japan in the future.
In this environment, aiming to offer customers the experience of services provided by the three types of robots that use CTC's robot and IoT platform, CTC will install the communication robots at the FinTech corner at Mizuho Bank's Yaesuguchi branch for a fixed period (between January 16 and February 17). Specifically, Pepper, Sota and NAO will welcome customers and cooperate in offering useful information about asset management, such as productive information about Nippon Individual Savings Accounts (NISA), trends for overseas interest rates and saving money for the future.

Mizuho Bank will seek to use robots in a more sophisticated manner. This includes the one-on-one services that are provided through the integration of the communication details between robots and customers and the existing transaction information and the updated financial information, and consulting support for the bank's employees based on interactive services through the collaboration with artificial intelligence technologies. Moreover, by taking this opportunity with the latest installation of robots for a fixed period, Mizuho Bank will determine the effectiveness of the collaboration of several different robots for customer service, and it expects to develop a model in the future in which robots will provide integrated services, including reception and counter services.

CTC will seek to respond to the demand for communication robots and service robots that are specialized in commercial operations and install additional functions in the robot and IoT integrated platform. This will strengthen the services of RoBo-LAB and lead its customers to creating new services.