Retail robots: The droid at till number 7 - BBC News

A hardware store in San Jose has a new star employee. It can speak English and Spanish, recognise any part at sight, and knows what the shop has in stock on a second by second basis. OSHbot, as it is called, measures roughly 5ft, and boasts a 3D scanner and touchscreen. "It's not just robots for robots' sake, or a marketing gimmick," insists Kyl Nel, executive director of Lowe's Innovation Labs. Lowe's is an American DIY chain, and the robot's ultimate employer.