Hospitals introduce robot receptionists who understand 20 languages to welcome you in

The 4ft 7in hi-tech helpers are the next step for medicine and they have previously been used as rehabilitation support

Receptionist roles have been taken up by ROBOTS at two Belgian hospitals adding mechanism to medicine for patients.

Pepper the humanoid assistant speaks slowly and judders when he moves, but he's 100% friendly when offering a welcome to visitors at hospitals in Ostend and Liege.

Wearing a screen on his chest and a round head, Pepper is the first robot in the world to be used to greet people in a medical setting, his software creators said.

Unveiled at the Centre Hospitalier Regional La Citadelle, the 4ft 7in robot moves on wheels and has recognition for 20 languages.

He can also establish whether he's speaking to a woman or child, reports Yahoo .

Getty Images A young boy talks with the robot Pepper next to a nurse during a press conference on June 13, 2016 at the CHR Citadel hospital centers of Liege
Robot Pepper can identify if he is speaking to a man, woman or child

Costing around £23,775, it's hoped that Pepper will soon be able to accompany patients to their required destination in Liege as he already is in AZ Damiaan hospital in Ostend.

Getty Images A young boy talks with the robot Pepper during a press conference on June 13, 2016 at the CHR Citadel hospital centers of Liege
Standing under 5ft tall, Pepper has been used before in retail functions

The Belgian firm Zora Bots developed the software and says Pepper's components come from Asia but are assembled in France.

Getty Images The robot Pepper during a press conference oat the CHR Citadel hospital centers of Liege
The humanoid robot is intended to guide and inform visitors to the hospital

They have previously been tested in Japanese shops and French malls: "But it's the first time that they will be used in reception," said a spokesperson.

Getty Images A young boy talks with the robot Pepper during a press conference on June 13, 2016 at the CHR Citadel hospital centers of Liege
Pepper has a screen on his chest and a round head

Smaller robots named Nao, standing 57cm tall, have been produced by the same company and are currently used in 300 hospitals and care homes worldwide .

Getty Images The robot Pepper during a press conference oat the CHR Citadel hospital centers of Liege
Robots like Pepper have been used for rehab techniques in hospitals

In Liege and Ostend, they are used as a support tool in the paediatric and geriatric departments.

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(Source: Mirror)