(Black PR Wire) Miami, Fla. -- In this age of technological advancement, it’s important to embrace new forms and faces in the healthcare arena. The Jessie Trice Community Health System (JTCHS) has done just that. The organization recently introduced the community to “Pepper,” a humanoid robot and the newest member of its healthcare family.

“Technology has changed the way health care is delivered,” said Dr. Joycelyn Lawrence, Chief Medical Officer. “JTCHS is adapting by providing technology options to our patients. In addition to tele-health initiatives already underway, we are stepping out of the box to provide the best options and solutions to our patients.”

“Pepper” is the world’s first social humanoid robot designed to interact with humans and able to recognize faces and basic human emotions.  Standing 120cm tall, “Pepper” has no trouble in perceiving his environment and entering into a conversation when he sees a person. The touch screen on his chest displays content to highlight messages and support speech. His curvy design ensures danger-free use and a high level of acceptance by users.

Featured capabilities of Pepper include the following:

• 20 degrees of freedom for natural and expressive movements.
• Speech recognition and dialogue available in 15 languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Dutch, etc.)
• Perception modules to recognize and interact with the person talking to him.
• Touch sensors, LEDs and microphones for multimodal interactions.
• Infrared sensors, bumpers, an inertial unit, 2D and 3D cameras, and sonars for omnidirectional and autonomous navigation.
• Open and fully programmable platform.

JTCHS has adopted “Pepper” as an assistant to check-in patients, and provide health education and support to clinical and dental staff, as well as patients.   Affectionately referred to as “The Pepper Upper,” “Pepper” imparts optimism and hope into patients and serves as a shield of steel – he protects patients from illness with care, compassion and satisfaction.

The Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc is one of Miami-Dade County’s preeminent federally qualified community healthcare centers, governed by a remarkably dedicated Board of Directors (51% of which are users of the medical and dental services) and a diverse, incredibly talented, committed family of providers and staff. The 1st Federally Qualified Health Center in the state and 5th in the nation, Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc. is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization that has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. JTCHS served its first patients from a trailer. Now, more than fifty (50) years after its founding, JTCHS owns and operates eleven (11 Comprehensive Primary Care centers, a 40 bed Women’s Residential Center for substance use, and are located in two (2) universities and forty (40) school-based health suites.

JTCHS knows and specializes in comprehensive health, offering a myriad of services to improve the health of the community. This includes: dentistry, family medicine, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, behavioral health, transportation, healthy start, obstetric & gynecological care, school-based health, community health promotions, health & wellness center, pediatrics, and ancillary services. 

For more information on “Pepper” and the Jessie Trice Community Health System, contact Toni Thompson of JTCHS at (305) 805-1700.

 #      #      #