Skip to main content
The Robot Says element is the simplest way to give your robot or Avatar a voice. When the flow reaches this element, the robot speaks the text you specify aloud. Because nobody enjoys hearing the same phrase on repeat, you can add multiple variations of the same message — Plural picks one at random each time, making your robot sound more natural and human-like.

​
Add a Robot Says element

Right-click on an empty area of your canvas and select Robot says from the context menu. The element appears on the canvas immediately.

​
Configure speech text

1

Open the sidebar

Click once on the Robot Says element to open the configuration sidebar on the right.
2

Enter the primary speech text

Type the text you want the robot to say in the main input field. Press Enter to confirm.
3

Add speech variations (recommended)

Click the Add variation button (or press Enter again after the first phrase) to add alternative phrasings. Plural selects one variation at random each time the element plays, keeping interactions fresh for repeat users.
Aim for at least two or three variations per element. Even small differences — “Hello there!” vs. “Hi! Great to see you!” vs. “Welcome back!” — significantly increase how natural your robot feels.

​
Use shortcodes in speech text

You can embed special shortcodes directly in the speech text to trigger animations, sounds, and pauses mid-sentence.

​
Animation shortcodes

Trigger a named robot animation at any point in the speech using the #ANI/ prefix: 
#ANI/wave_1
Place the shortcode inline with your text to synchronise the animation with the speech: 
Hello! #ANI/wave_1 Welcome to our showroom.

​
Sound shortcodes

Play a pre-loaded sound effect using the #SND/ prefix: 
#SND/applause

​
Pause shortcodes

Insert a pause of a specific duration (in milliseconds) using the #PAU/ prefix: 
Please wait... #PAU/1500 I am looking that up for you.
The available animation and sound names depend on the robot model (Pepper, NAO, Temi) or Avatar configuration. Consult your platform’s shortcode reference for the full list of supported values.

​
Reference variables in speech

Insert the value of any flow variable into speech text using the #ATTRI/ shortcode: 
Thank you, #ATTRI/firstName! Your order has been received.
Plural replaces #ATTRI/firstName with the current value of the firstName variable at runtime. You can combine multiple variables and static text in a single speech string.

​
Connect to other elements

After configuring the Robot Says element, drag the blue output circle on its right edge to the input of the next element in your flow. The flow proceeds to that element as soon as the robot finishes speaking.
Robot Says does not wait for any user input. As soon as the speech finishes, the flow moves on automatically. If you need user confirmation first, use a Menu Designer or Question Designer element instead.