Ricoh Integrates Alexa For Business

Ricoh has announced the launch of RICOH Intelligent Voice Control through a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver intuitive voice-activated controls for Ricoh’s intelligent devices.

The service will start with Ricoh’s IM Series of intelligent multifunction printers (MFPs), with a pilot program currently underway at an Ivy League university, leveraging Amazon’s AWS Alexa for Business service along with Ricoh’s Smart Integration Platform technology.

“I am delighted to hear Alexa for Business is going to be utilized in RICOH’s new voice-controlled operation service, the RICOH Intelligent Voice Control, as a new user interface for all-in-one printers. Alexa for Business is a service that enables organizations and employees to use Alexa to get more work done. We look forward to drastically improving productivity through our collaboration,” Collin Davis, general manager for Alexa for Business, Amazon Web Services Inc. said in a press release.

“Ricoh firmly believes in making education accessible for all, regardless of disability. When this university approached us with the idea of voice controls for visually impaired users, we were excited to play a role in the important work of helping open the door for anyone with more diverse abilities,” added Steven Burger, head of engineering and vice president of portfolio management at Ricoh USA, Inc. “This technology has the potential to change the way millions of people collaborate and learn — and it has a myriad of office applications, as well. With the introduction of voice enablement, we’re expanding the ways our customers interact with their work. That means streamlining and ease of use, so people with different workstyles operating in the same environment can all get the most out of their Ricoh technology. In a results-driven world full of fast-turn demands, voice controls’ flexibility and efficiency are immense value-adds.”

This latest endeavor strengthens Ricoh’s work with AWS. Earlier this year, the company launched a Digital Workplace Intelligence approach to deliver constant improvements and working towards ensuring capabilities with customer requirements. And new innovation is expected in the future, including Ricoh’s interactive flat panel displays (IFPDs) and projectors.