AmiQuin -­ an Ambient Mannequin for the Shopping Environment

We present AmIQuin, a virtual mannequin, which leverages an Ambient Intelligence (AmI) system within a shopping environment. AmIQuin is designed to replace a traditional shop window mannequin in order to enhance a customer's shopping experience by reacting to the customer's presence and presenting personalized information. The AmIQuin is implemented as 3D graphic representation of a mannequin displayed on a large screen situated in a shop window. In this paper, we describe the first cycle of an iterative User-Centered Design (UCD) process including the technical implementation of an AmIQuin prototype, along with an initial three days field study. The first prototypical version of the virtual mannequin presented in this paper moves its head or full body towards the beholder in response to recognizing a human face looking at it. We describe technical challenges of deploying an AmI application in the field. Our findings indicate the usefulness of an AmI application within the shopping context and give insights on customers' attitudes towards shop windows in general and the AmIQuin in particular. Furthermore, the study results reveal customers' wishes for future versions of the AmIQuin.