SoftBank is launching an adorable Robot named Pepper on June the 20th, which is this Saturday – ASIA only!
SoftBank has partnered with China’s Alibaba, and Foxcon Technology to ensure that on the 20th everyone can acquire Pepper.
Isn’t it a little bit scary that SoftBank’s Pepper can read your body language, and your tone of voice? The 4-foot cute little robot is designed to communicate realistically with its master. This starts to sound as the plot to Steven Spielberg’s 2001 Artificial Intelligence: AI movie.
It can look deep down into your soul using its high-definition cameras, depth sensors and microphones. Here’s hoping to have a meaningful conversation with Pepper – SoftBank states that it enjoys human contact!
The anime-like eyes will follow you around, and will recognize its master in a heartbeat – Pepper moves quite fluid using its 20 motors.
” We think there’s value in a robot that can understand human feelings.” said SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.
Pepper was primarily used as a greeting robot in phone stores, but someone thought that it could become much more. Pepper can make a great learning or play toy, and its ambitions don’t stop there. It wants to help the elderly with menial everyday tasks, but that may seem like a big stretch. It’s not that strong anyway, and SoftBank states that Pepper should be used to engage with customers if bought by a business, or if it’s acquired by your average Joe, it should be treated as you would treat your own child – a made out of plastic, and metal child.
SoftBank will start manufacturing 1000 Peppers a month, and if it’s a success in Asia it will start to ship, and sell to Europe and the US starting next year. Pepper costs $1600, but you must pay an additional $200 for the service fees – this way SoftBank is ensuring that they will make a profit out of the wee robot.
Hopefully, Pepper won’t have the same fate as Sony’s Aibo. A discontinued robo-dog line that somehow found its niche. Sony isn’t offering support to Aibo, and customers have grown attached to their mechanical pet, but once they break down, there’s no place to go to fix the adopted family member. Customers cared for Aibo as if it were their very own child, only to be taken away from them because Sony doesn’t manufacture the much needed parts. Shame on you Sony!
Here’s a short clip from SoftBank portraying Pepper’s skills of teaching children. What do you think? Too expensive for my taste, but if you have the chance of meddling with Pepper tell us your experience in the comments section below!
