ABOVE: Meet Pepper – the robot that Japanese designers say can “feel” and react to different emotions
A robot with a “heart” was unveiled by the technology company Softbank in Urayasu, Japan on Thursday.
The robot is designed to not only recognize human emotions, but also react with simulations of anger, joy and irritation.
Pepper glided proudly onto the stage, conversed with celebrity guests, did a dance, sang a birthday song and demonstrated how it could record family life in photos, and serve as a companion.
It appeared to respond with joy when it was praised or stroked.
The robot went through a year of software development after being announced.
It will go on sale in Japan on Saturday at a cost of 198,000 yen (1,600 US dollars.)
Details of when and where it will go on sale outside Japan were still undecided, but Softbank Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son said the first overseas sales will likely happen next year.
Son added that Softbank would partner with the Alibaba Group of China and FoxConn of Taiwan for the global sales launch.
They will each take a 20 percent stake in Softbank’s robotics unit and help with software and manufacturing.
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