SoftBank Corp. introduced an "emotionally aware" humanoid called Pepper in Tokyo, Thursday.
The telecommunications company said the robot would cost 198,000 yen ($1,900), and will go on sale in Japan February 2015, according to The Washington Post. No decisions have been made about prices overseas.
Masayoshi Son, billionaire and CEO of SoftBank, said during Pepper's unveiling that building personal robots was his longtime dream. He said that Pepper was designed to read the emotions of nearby people, which it could accomplish by recognizing voice tones and expressions.
"Our aim is to develop affectionate robots that can make people smile," Son said.
The robot is programmed to perform different tasks, such as customer service and helping people out with family jobs, The Next Web reported.
SoftBank created an "emotional engine" that helps the robot read emotions. The engine is powered by a cloud-based artificial intelligence system. Feedback from the robot's experiences is put in the cloud AI so that the robot can improve its awareness and intelligence.
Pepper is 121 centimeters (48 inches) tall, weighs 28 kilograms (62 pounds), has two large doll-like eyes and a flat-panel display on its chest, The Washington Post reported. It has two cameras and four microphones on its head, touch sensors in its hands, three touch sensors on the head and six laser sensors in its base.
Pepper sang at the demonstration, "I want to be loved."
SoftBank also said the robot, which will be on display starting Friday at company retailers, was capable of telling jokes and dancing.
"I've believed that the most important role of robots will be as kind and emotional companions to enhance our daily lives, to bring happiness, constantly surprise us and make people grow," said Bruno Maisonnier, founder and chief executive of Aldebaran. Maisonnier appeared on stage with Son at the event.
SoftBank partnered with Aldebaran, a robotics company from France, to create Pepper, The Next Web reported. Aldebaran has deployed 5,000 robots around the world for programs involving education, care and research.
"This is something that will change the way we think, live and work," Maisonnier. "This is a new category of artificial beings ... robots that can read your emotions."
