Sodaclick is adding voice technology to Taiwanese firm Axiomtek’s smart retail offerings.

Axiomtek designs and makes industrial computer products. It has announced a partnership with Sodaclick, a UK-based AI voice technology company, to empower a seamless interactive experience through conversational AI voice assistance.

The collaboration targets smart retail using Axiomtek’s all-in-one (AIO) kiosk and ITC interactive touch computers, which have been tested to be compatible with Sodaclick’s AI voice software, creating virtual shopping assistants.

For instance, speaking into the SSK515 AIO kiosk can allow consumers to browse items, check prices, secure payment checkout, and fulfil a contactless shopping experience. This empowers store owners to achieve more in-store work efficiency and brings automation to reality.

“This is the beginning of a new era and we are excited to announce a partnership with Sodaclick by integrating AI voice technology with our smart retail products, which is the perfect combination to enhance the overall consumer experience by offering a more direct and human-oriented interaction,” said Grace Yang, customer success manager at Axiomtek.

Salwa Al-Tahan, research and marketing executive at Sodaclick, added: “Sodaclick is proud to partner with Axiomtek as an approved provider of voice AI. Leveraging the combined benefits of voice AI with Axiomtek’s powerful hardware to deliver a touchless, multilingual and accessible interactive experience, will achieve a faster throughput to customers across verticals.”

The SSK515 is equipped with a 40cm full HD LCD that provides a clear digital menu while ordering. This AIO kiosk is powered by the Intel Core i5/i3 or Celeron processors with two 260-pin DDR4-2400 SO-DIMM slots for up to 64Gbyte of system memory. It has an M.2 Key M 2280 slot for SSD and an M.2 Key E 2230 slot for wifi connection.

On IO, it has one GbE LAN, four USB 3.0 type A, and one mic-in and line-out to support frequently used store counter equipment. Examples include a 2D barcode scanner, thermal printer, speakers and NFC card reader.

The SSK515 also supports plug-and-play Intel SDM-L (smart display module-large), which provides flexibility for system upgrade and maintenance. Thus, this AIO kiosk can be broadly applied in brick-and-mortar stores through its flexibility and stability.

Axiomtek’s ITC series is available in three-panel sizes (40, 55 and 60cm) with full HD resolution and PCAP touchscreen, powered by the Intel Core i5 or Pentium processor. On IO interfaces, it has one HDMI, one USB 3.0, dual USB 2.0, a microSD card slot, and more in support of Intel SDM-S/L. It is said to be easy to maintain and upgrade. Additionally, it has a single M.2 Key E slot for wireless connection.

The ITC series supports multiple installation types such as desktop, wall mount and floor stand to meet various environmental requirements. It can seamlessly integrate with peripheral options, for instance, EFT PoS support, NFC, thermal printer, barcode scanner and camera.

Sodaclick powers dynamic HTML5 digital content and voice AI for digital signage screens and kiosks across all industries either through the Sodaclick platform or an existing CMS provider. The AI technology is SDK and API ready, allowing for a flexible approach to bring immersive user experiences to the market.

Voice technology has many benefits including providing accessibility for those with visual or physical impairments where touch is difficult. It also offers faster throughput and a completely touchless option for the hygiene industry. And it supports many languages.