Tech the halls! Robots trim trees, play in an orchestra and sing karaoke in holiday window displays at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York store on 59th Street
- Three of the 12 windows at Bloomingdale’s in New York feature robots
- One has four robots decorating an autonomous Christmas tree
- Another has a robot orchestra that plays timeless Christmas songs
- The third features machines signing Christmas Carol Karaoke
Robots are ringing in the holidays at Bloomingdale’s New York store.
Three of the 12 windows at the 59th street location feature robots in an bid to show how the retail company will ‘enhance the future retail experience’.
Customers watch robots work together to create an ‘Autonomous Christmas Tree Decorating’ display, play instruments in a full orchestra and sing ‘Christmas Carol Karaoke’.
Bloomingdale’s is known for its stunning and whimsical holiday displays, but this year it has teamed up with ABB robots and robot animator Andy Flessas to create a unique display to showcase how retailers can enhance the future retail experience.
One of the windows displays robots building an Autonomous Christmas Tree Decorating display.
Two floor-mounted and two ceiling-mounted IRB 120 robots co-ordinate their movements to pass 20 gold ornaments to each other, placing them on the branches, before stripping the tree and starting the 30-minute process again.
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Customers watch robots work together to create an ‘Autonomous Christmas Tree Decorating’ display, play instruments in a full orchestra and sing ‘Christmas Carol Karaoke’
In another window is a full robot orchestra, with four robots playing brass shakers, a tambourine, a concert chime and a futuristic digital xylophone to entertain shoppers with a range of Christmas carols.
The display is designed to allow visitors to interact with the robot musicians from the street, allowing them to choose what song they play.
Customers can choose between ‘Deck the Halls’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’ by pushing a button on the window, which also takes pictures of them that appear on a video monitor behind the robot band.
And the final display is a RoboScreen Christmas Carol Karaoke window.
Shoppers can select from a range of holiday songs, with the lyrics appearing on three moving 38′ graphical screens attached to the arms of three IRB 120 robots.
There is another robot inside serving customers Nespresso coffee to warm up while they shop.
The robot, called YuMi, was designed to work safely alongside humans and interact with customers.
Robots are ringing in the holidays at Bloomingdale’s New York store. Three of the 12 windows at the 59th street location feature robots in an bid to show how the retail company will ‘enhance the future retail experience’
In another window is a full robot orchestra, with four robots playing brass shakers, a tambourine, a concert chime and a futuristic digital xylophone to entertain shoppers with a range of Christmas carols
The final display is a RoboScreen Christmas Carol Karaoke window
With its precision and mobility, YuMi automates the entire brewing process, from handling and loading the selected drink pod, to serving the hot beverage and disposing of the used capsule for recycling.
Marc Segura, ABB’s Global Head of Service Robotics, said: ‘We are excited to be part of such an iconic celebration as shoppers in New York kick off the holiday season.’
‘As well as bringing some festive cheer to Bloomingdales’ customers, we are showcasing how robotics and automation technology could help revitalize the retail experience.’
‘Our demonstrations in Bloomingdales show how robotics can make visual merchandising more dynamic and engaging.
‘In the future, retailers could use robotics to create innovative mediums to interact with customers, demonstrate products and engage at the point-of-sale with far more appeal and relevance than traditional static point-of-sale displays.’
There is another robot inside serving customers Nespresso coffee to warm up while they shop. The robot, called YuMi, was designed to work safely alongside humans and interact with customers
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