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The Costa Diadema has welcomed aboard Pepper, a humanoid robot programmed to interact with the ship’s guests.
The robot, a product of Japanese company SoftBank Robotics, speaks English, Italian and French. Costa announced its partnership with SoftBank last December.
There are five Pepper robots deployed on the Costa Diadema. In addition to answering direct questions, Pepper will start up an interaction when people are near. Pepper can dance with guests, involve them in games or propose to pose with them for a selfie.
“Our goal is to amaze people who choose to spend their holidays with us, and to go beyond their expectations and offer something unforgettable,” said Neil Palomba, president of Costa Cruises.
The robots also inform guests about the ship and its services, including restaurants and excursions. And, Pepper offers guidance about port calls on the ship’s Mediterranean itinerary.
Introduced in 2014 in Tokyo, Pepper is equipped with high-level voice and facial-recognition technology, enabling it to simulate human intuition.
Pepper is nearly 4 feet tall and weighs 64 pounds, and is equipped with six lasers, a 3D camera, two 2D cameras and a 10-inch touchscreen tablet. Its battery lasts 12 hours.
In September, five additional Pepper robots are slated to come aboard Costa Fascinosa.
Source: travelweekly.com
