(Original Title: Pepper, the humanoid emotional robot, continues to incur losses with debts reaching $274 million)
Since its launch in July 2014, SoftBank's humanoid emotional robot, Pepper, has been deployed in over 10,000 locations, including shopping malls, airports, and train stations with high foot traffic, typically handling inquiries. Pepper has assisted passengers in finding their platforms at French train stations and has even worked as a shopping guide in French and Spanish supermarkets.
When Pepper listens to people, it crosses its arms in a gesture similar to how humans behave during conversations. When asked a question, the lights around its eyes illuminate, indicating that it is actively listening. Pepper is equipped with four microphones, touch sensors on its head, a camera on its mouth and chest, a 3D sensor behind its eyes, and a gyroscope in its torso.
Sun Jun, CEO of SoftBank, described Pepper as “the first robot capable of reading human emotions.†However, the liabilities of the robots surpass $274 million, with SoftBank Robotics losing as much as $1 billion in the fiscal year 2015. The primary issue lies in the fact that the selling price is lower than the production cost, resulting in losses for every unit sold. The consumer version of Pepper is priced at approximately $2,000, while enterprise users opt for a leasing model. Companies sign three-year leases with SoftBank for a total of $16,000. At the end of the lease period, the robot is returned to SoftBank.
Figure/Nikkei
The parent company of SoftBank Robotics, the SoftBank Group, revealed these details in its annual financial report submitted for the fiscal year ending this March. In a subsequent statement to Nikkei, they mentioned, “We aim to enhance business sales and profitability through associated ventures such as applications and content.â€
Last year, Pepper was introduced at a newly opened custom-printed clothing store at the University of Southern California. SoftBank claimed that robotic store sales tripled and foot traffic increased by 20%. While this sounds promising, it remains a one-sided claim. Visitors may initially be intrigued by the presence of the robot, but there is no further evidence suggesting it consistently attracts customers to the store.
More criticism arises regarding the practicality of the product. Following Pepper's release in 2015, initial excitement quickly turned to disappointment. The Nikkei noted at the time that everyone hoped SoftBank would develop groundbreaking applications, even if just one. “So far, we haven't seen anything substantial. Its capabilities remain confined to conversation, caregiving, and entertainment.â€
“Pepper’s design is not intended to be a practical automated machine,†Mashable observed after testing. “Its purpose is more about companionship—joking around, making small talk, or reading recipes aloud while you cook.â€
But the real question remains: Do people genuinely need a luxury conversational companion like Pepper?
Despite its ambitions, Pepper faces challenges in proving its value beyond novelty. As SoftBank continues to invest heavily in its development, the future of Pepper hinges on whether it can evolve into a product that truly meets market demands or remains an expensive experiment in robotics.
Best Budget I7 Laptop is everyone eager to. Laptop Intel Core i7 is the No. 1 processor clients choose when they are searching for a performance Gaming Laptop,cause it`s of excellent powering, bigger Solid State Drive, usually 512GB based, full HD 16:9 aspect ratio slimmer display bezels, bigger battery-12000mAh-no need to worry lack of power, fingerprint reader, backlight keyboard, etc. What is intel Core I7 Laptop Price? Usually 300-400usd. You can get Intel i7 11th Generation Laptop, Intel i7 10th Generation Laptop, Intel I5 11th Generation Laptop, Laptop I3 11th Generation,etc. 15.6 or 14 inch all available for i7 processor.
Cooperating with us, you just need to share all your requirements details, like size, cpu, ram, rom, battery, fingerprint, backlight, enter button numbers, SSD+HDD or only SSD ok, if need oem service, if need logo position, special apps preinstall if need, etc. Can provide matched and value feedback in 1-2 working days.
The reason why clients choose us is that just half of DOA than others, longer warranty time, smaller MOQ, fast delivery, competitive cost, good after-sale service, etc.
Laptop Intel Core I7,Intel Core I7 Laptop Price,Best Budget I7 Laptop,Intel I7 11th Generation Laptop,Intel I7 10th Generation Laptop
Henan Shuyi Electronics Co., Ltd. , http://www.shuyielectronics.com