Value of the AR Demo

Is an AR demo better than the real thing?   with discussion   by Matthew Stern in Retailwire

Trying out a toy in-store can get kids excited about the product. And once kids are interested in a toy, they can be very effective in convincing their parents to buy it. Mattel is now taking this experience into the virtual world with augmented reality (AR) at the shelf.

This fall the brand is introducing an AR app for its Hot Wheels playsets, according to Engadget. The app will allow users to interact with a virtual on-screen version of a playset when they point their device at it on the shelf. Part of the intention behind the tool is to allow customers to get a feel for how the product will work while preventing retailers from using up floor space on toy demos.

While AR can provide an engaging new experience for customers, can it motivate a purchase as effectively as physically playing with a real-world toy?

Mattel is not the first toy company to experiment with on-shelf AR. In 2014, early-adopter Lego rolled out its “In-Store Action” app. The app lets users scan posters in-store to bring up and interact with an on-screen animated Lego figure.   .... "

Mattel Cancels Aristotle, an Assistant for Children

It should be noted that neither Amazon nor Alexa was involved in this.

In FastCodesign: 

" ... Less than a year after the toymaker Mattel launched a AI-powered baby monitor called Aristotle, the company announced that it will table its controversial plans for the product after a petition from privacy and children’s health advocates gained traction.

Aristotle was supposed to be an Amazon Alexa for kids crossed with a smart baby monitor. It was designed to do things like soothe a child’s cries, answer their questions about the world, and even read bedtime stories–and it would learn over time from the child’s behavior. In essence, it was an AI that could act as an extra parent in the home. .... 

It’s one of the first AI-powered products to have been shelved due to concerns over data and privacy, and an example of how a compelling design idea can be undercut by shoddy execution when it comes to privacy (Aristotle was an honoree in Co.Design‘s annual Innovation By Design awards). Its demise is a cautionary tale for tech companies racing to put cameras and microphones into our homes. While Google, Amazon, and Apple battle it out in the voice assistant wars–including making those assistants easier for kids to use–it’s clear that children’s rooms are off limits.  ... " 

Index of my posts on assistants.