Article

Human touch at the ATM -- without the human

"Avatars," animated characters, help fill the human void in automated transactions.

June 18, 2003

To promote new self-service transactions such as check cashing at its Vcom units, 7-Eleven utilizes "greeters" to help introduce consumers to the new technology.

Delta Air Lines uses employees to encourage its customers to conduct simple transactions such as check-ins and bag checks at kiosks rather than ticket counters.

While these folks fill a human void in otherwise automated transactions, they seem a less than perfect solution to Mark Grossi, NCR's chief technology officer.

Grossi and his Advanced Concepts team in Dundee, Scotland, are exploring ways of bringing a human touch to automated transactions -- without the human. The answer is avatars, or animated characters.

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