Softbank’s Humanoid Robot Will Be Great for Tending to Japan’s Elderly

The Japanese mobile carrier's Pepper humanoid-on-wheels. Softbank Corp./AP
The robot will be able to read and express emotions.
The Japanese telecoms firm Softbank has unveiled a humanoid robot named “Pepper,” promising that it will be able to read and express emotions, and eventually serve as a medical worker, party companion, or even a babysitter.
Softbank is pricing Pepper as a consumer electronics must-have at 198,000 yen ($1,900) when it goes on sale in February. Taiwan’s Foxconn (a.k.a. Hon Hai) will take care of manufacturing. Details on the 48-inch (121 cm) high robot’s capabilities are scarce, and the first iteration of Pepper may end up being not much more than a humanoid curiosity.
But the real growth market in Japan—and perhaps throughout the developed world—will be robots that can take care of the fast-growing population of elderly people.
Climbing the robot career ladder
the Nikkei newspaper reportedhumanoid robot called Nao
No one left to care for Grandma
demographic predicamentadult diapers are outselling children’s diaperstold the Financial Times in 2012
But will Grandpa care for Pepper?
Reprinted with permission from Quartz. The original story can be found here.