• SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son interacts with Pepper, a human-like robot. Capable of interacting through emotions and body langage, Pepper is described by the developers as the ‘world’s first personal robot that reads emotions’. Franck Robichon / EPA
    SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son interacts with Pepper, a human-like robot. Capable of interacting through emotions and body langage, Pepper is described by the developers as the ‘world’s first personal robot that reads emotions’. Franck Robichon / EPA
  • Bruno Maisonnier, founder and chief executive officer of Aldebaran Robotics, left, and Masayoshi Son, the chairman and chief executive of SoftBank, interact with Pepper, the humanoid robot. Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg News
    Bruno Maisonnier, founder and chief executive officer of Aldebaran Robotics, left, and Masayoshi Son, the chairman and chief executive of SoftBank, interact with Pepper, the humanoid robot. Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg News
  • SoftBank's humanoid robot Pepper is displayed at a company store in Tokyo. The robots, which Softbank envisions serving as babysitters, nurses, emergency medical workers or even party companions, will sell for ¥198,000 and are capable of learning and expressing emotions. Yuya Shino / Reuters
    SoftBank's humanoid robot Pepper is displayed at a company store in Tokyo. The robots, which Softbank envisions serving as babysitters, nurses, emergency medical workers or even party companions, will sell for ¥198,000 and are capable of learning and expressing emotions. Yuya Shino / Reuters
  • Terry Gou, the chairman and chief executive of Foxconn, poses with humanoid robot Pepper, which the Taiwanese company manufactured. Toru Yamanaka / AFP
    Terry Gou, the chairman and chief executive of Foxconn, poses with humanoid robot Pepper, which the Taiwanese company manufactured. Toru Yamanaka / AFP
  • People take photos of the humanoid robot Pepper. Softbank will release the robot next February with a price of ¥198,000. Toru Yamanaka / AFP
    People take photos of the humanoid robot Pepper. Softbank will release the robot next February with a price of ¥198,000. Toru Yamanaka / AFP
  • Young girls interact with Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
    Young girls interact with Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
  • Visitors take photos of Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
    Visitors take photos of Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
  • Young men interact with Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
    Young men interact with Pepper at a Softbank store in Tokyo. The humanoid robot Pepper will be on sale from February 2015 for a base price of ¥198,000. Franck Robichon / EPA
  • Pepper performs before visitors at a Softbank store in Tokyo. Pepper is the described by the developers as the ‘world’s first personal robot that reads emotions'. Franck Robichon / EPA
    Pepper performs before visitors at a Softbank store in Tokyo. Pepper is the described by the developers as the ‘world’s first personal robot that reads emotions'. Franck Robichon / EPA

Business

In pictures: Meet Pepper, the humanoid robot

Olive Obina

June 09, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

Japanese telecommunications giant Softbank Corp has unveiled a new humanoid robot named Pepper, which the company claimed can identify human emotions and respond to them.

Technology