Akihabara News (Tokyo) – SoftBank Robotics has announced the cease of production of its well-known humanoid robot Pepper.
Pepper made its first appearance in 2014 and has been widely displayed in SoftBank mobile phone stores in Japan.
The first batch of units was sold out in under a minute, and within three years, units were sold all over Europe.
Pepper’s initially popularity was linked to its ability to recognize human emotions by analyzing facial expressions and voice tones. This robot was the face of SoftBank’s efforts to pursue Artificial Intelligence, as championed by CEO Masayoshi Son.
Pepper greeted customers in stores and hotels all over Japan, and it even served as a receptionist in several offices in the United Kingdom. The robot has been seen in airports in Canada greeting travelers and, in 2017, it was reported to have been used in some homes in Japan.
According to a statement on the SoftBanks Robotics website, the Pepper production has been halted for the moment, citing a falloff in sales in more recent years.
Despite its high profile, Pepper never reached commercial viability.
According to a spokeswoman for the firm, there have been discussions about reducing the number of workers at its global robotics operation in France.
SoftBank Robotics states that they will “continue to provide support and maintenance to customers who are currently using these products.”
