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Pepper the robot mimics human emotions
Pepper is a humanoid robot designed to recognize human emotions and to react accordingly to simulations of joy, irritation and anger.
The robot’s creators announced that it will go on sale in Japan very soon.
The company that created it unveiled Pepper the humanoid robot at a conference held in Tokyo where reporters and guests were invited.
The robot has legs but can move using a pair of wheels; its arms can move and its head is hairless.
Its creators spent more than a year working on the robot’s software before it was finally announced.
At the conference, Pepper the robot appeared on stage, engaged in conversations with celebrity guests and even performed a birthday song.
The robot demonstrated to the crowd that it can take photos to record family life, and can very well be the perfect companion.
Pepper responded happily when the guests praised it and stroked it.
Masayoshi Son, CEO of Softbank Corp, the company that created Pepper, said that they are preparing to launch the robot globally thanks to a partnership with Foxconn from Taiwan and Alibaba Group in China.
However, the company did not say when the robot will be made available in other countries besides Japan.
Some assume that Pepper the robot will begin to be shipped overseas sometime next year.
The humanoid robot costs about 190,000 yen (1,400 euro) in Japan.
The company said that 1,000 robots will be made available every month.
The monthly service fee for the robot costs 14,800 yen (about 100 euro) and the maintenance insurance is 9,800 yen (70 euro).
Softbank Corp said that the robot can develop its own personality based on how people interact with it.
Pepper the robot was programmed to remember faces and to be happy when he is given attention.
The robot can also cheer up people and try to lighten a bad situation.
Son said that Pepper was inspired by a Japanese cartoon character from his childhood named Astro Boy.
Son added that the robot runs on artificial intelligence created by IBM.
Although some don’t agree with the idea of creating humanoid robots, Son said that this technology could prove “transformative.”
Image Source: wsj
