Dive Brief:
- Japanese tech firm SoftBank is launching an online app store for Pepper, a humanoid robot that can read and respond to human emotions.
- In addition, the company will open four new Pepper for Biz Atelier retail stores to allow enterprise prospects to see the robots in action.
- About 500 companies in Japan already use Pepper robots, which can sense and respond to nuances of human interaction, in customer-facing applications.
Dive Insight:
Japanese telecom-and-tech company SoftBank is set to bring its humanoid robot, Pepper, into more environments with the launch of an app store and four retail locations. As many as 200 companies will build software for the robots, which 500 companies in Japan now lease to perform functions such as greeting customers and answering questions.
Pepper for Biz Atelier stores will showcase the robots for new business prospects, and plans for a forthcoming retail phone store call for a staff made up mostly of Pepper units. The robots will perform functions such as greeting customers and assisting with purchase decisions.
While the latest news sounds too futuristic to be true, additional retail capabilities are likely on the way. In July 2015, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and tech-product manufacturer Foxconn bought 20% stakes in SoftBank’s robotics unit, indicating that more Peppers will soon help more customers worldwide.
