OSAKA, April 13- Seven-Eleven Japan Co. will open two convenience stores at the World Exposition in Osaka starting Sunday to showcase what it expects its outlets to look like in 2030, featuring service by remotely controlled avatar robots and floors that generate power when stepped on, Kyodo news agency reported.
The stores at the expo venue on the artificial island of Yumeshima will sell made-to-order Japanese confectionaries such as fish-shaped “taiyaki” waffles and sweet “dango” rice cakes in addition to the usual items including drinks and rice balls.
Avatar robots called “newme,” developed by Avatarin Inc., a startup established by ANA Holdings Inc., will assist customers using self-checkout machines. The stick-shaped robots with wheels will display on their monitors the faces of staff who are controlling the machines from a remote location.
As a way to reduce the ecological footprint, some sections of the floors will enable power generation by detecting vibrations created from customers walking around the stores, while machines to make smoothies will be powered by hydrogen.
Packages of some items will have labels in English, Chinese and Korean in addition to Japanese, the operator said, as many foreign visitors are expected during the expo.
A Seven-Eleven official said the operator put emphasis on freshness in cooked foods as it aims to meet customers’ demand to eat instantly purchased items.
The stores, located near the west gate and at a recreational Water Plaza area, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and only accept cashless payments.
The expo will run through Oct. 13, opening from 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day.
