Artificial intelligence is still a work in progress, but if you're simply looking for robotic companionship, SoftBank may have a humanoid for you.
The Japanese mobile operator teamed up with Aldebaran Robotics to develop Pepper, the world's first personal robot that can read emotions.
Feeling blue? Pepper can detect sadness based on your expressions and voice tones. Using built-in sensors and pre-programmed algorithms, the robot will also react appropriately.
In the vein of its corporate philosophy of "happiness for everyone," SoftBank entered the cyborg business "with the aim of developing affectionate robots that make people smile," according to CEO Masayoshi Son.
But Pepper does more than tell a joke or two. The device comes equipped with a 10.1-inch touch display, as well as voice-recognition technology and emotion recognition, to enable human-to-humanoid communication. It can also handle gestures, like a wave of the arm, or nod of the head.
These advanced technologies make it easy for users to interact with Pepper just as they would family and friends. And, really, who needs human contact when they've got a robot that makes jokes, dances, and provides other forms of entertainment?
"For the past nine years, 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," Aldebaran CEO Bruno Maisonnier said in a statement. "The emotional robot will create a new dimension in our lives and new ways of interacting with technology. It's just the beginning, but already a promising reality."
The friendly-looking cyborg will begin rolling into Japanese homes in February, for a base price of 198,000 yen ($1,931/£1,152).
Weighing in at almost 62 pounds, Pepper sports a lithium-ion battery for 12 hours of continuous use and an array of sensors to help avoid collisions and prevent falls. Plus, the built-in Wi-Fi feature allows for expandable knowledge through cloud-based synchronization.
Additional capabilities—including motion, conversation, and sensors—are planned for the 2015 commercial launch. Developers looking to expand their range can get their hands on the Aldebaran SDK in September.
"Thanks to Pepper, the future begins today and we want all of you to be a part of it," Maisonnier said.
Softbank is not the only firm working on robots. In December, Google purchased Boston Dynamics, just one of several robotics firms the search giant has acquired; check them all out in the slideshow above.
Check out Pepper in action in SoftBank's video below.