NTT Business Solutions First in Japan! *1 Begins demonstration experiment of next-generation local communication platform service using Amazon Echo Show 8 and Alexa Smart Properties

NTT Business Solutions
First in Japan! *1 Begins demonstration experiment of next-generation local communication platform service using Amazon Echo Show 8 and Alexa Smart Properties
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NTT Business Solutions Corporation (President and Representative Director: Taizo Kitayama; hereinafter referred to as NTT Business Solutions), a member of the NTT West Group, has partnered with Kumamoto City (Mayor: Kazushi Onishi) to launch Japan’s first Amazon Echo Show 8 and Alexa Smart. We will begin a demonstration experiment of a next-generation regional communication platform service using Properties*2 from Wednesday, December 20, 2023*3.
*1 Regional communication service for local governments using the Amazon Echo Show series (hereinafter referred to as Echo Show) and Alexa Smart Properties (hereinafter referred to as ASP) (NTT Business Solutions, November 2023 research) *2 About Alexa Smart Properties https:// *3 Some items will start from Thursday, February 1, 20241. Background As the population declines and the birthrate declines and the aging society progresses, there is a shortage of workers and local transportation is shrinking, making maintaining and improving communication in the local community an urgent priority, especially among seniors. Aiming to solve these issues, NTT Business Solutions is developing a next-generation regional communication platform service that links its own communication platform*4 with the Echo Show, which is equipped with the personal AI assistant Alexa, and Alexa’s business service ASP. Offers.
Through this service, we aim to support the comfortable lives of as many people as possible and create a sustainable local community. *4 A system collaboration platform that mainly has the following three functions: 1. Automatic user inquiry response function using conversational AI 2. API (Application Programming Interface) collaboration function with other companies’ services 3. Notification distribution function 2. Overview: In cooperation with Kumamoto City, which is working to promote smart cities, we will examine the contribution, acceptability, and usability of community monitoring targeting elderly households.
(1) Implementation background In Kumamoto City, in order to pass on to the next generation a city with appropriate urban functions and a good living environment that support the daily lives of citizens, we are promoting the concept of a city where regional cores collaborate (multi-nucleus collaborative city). However, as society progresses with a declining birthrate and an aging population, organizations that provide services that support daily life, such as community
comprehensive support centers and nursery schools, have to deal with various citizen needs, staff shortages, operational burdens, etc. facing challenges. In addition to solving these issues for service providers, there was a growing need to create businesses that can utilize ICT and their bases as model cases so that citizens can lead comfortable daily lives in familiar areas. Therefore, NTT Business Solutions, in cooperation with local comprehensive support centers and local welfare committee members in Kumamoto City, will provide health support for elderly households, simplify online communication and conversation, provide bus service information, etc. We will work to build a model case for regional communication that will improve the quality of daily life. (2) Contents of provision and expected effects 1. Notifications from the Regional Comprehensive Support Center (all target groups/individuals) Expected effects: Improving the efficiency of notification delivery and improving the open rate 2. Daily conversation with AI and quiz games expected Effects: Relieving feelings of isolation through conversation and improving health 3. Video calls that can be started with simple operations Expected effects: Improved communication between elderly people and local welfare commissioners and reducing the burden of transportation for visits, etc. 4. Information on bus operations at the nearest bus stop Provided (utilizing GTFS*5)
Expected effects: Improving convenience and promoting bus use by providing highly accurate operation information, and promoting the use of Echo Show in daily life
*5 GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) is a world standard public transportation data format.
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