Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/09/26
By: Jalen Chung and Frances Huang

Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) The latest batch of 1,000 “Pepper” robots developed by Japanese telecom giant SoftBank Corp. and Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (鴻海) were sold out in one minute after being put up for sale Saturday morning, according to the Japanese company.

SoftBank unveiled the Pepper robot in the Japan market on June 18 for the first time and the human-like device sparked enthusiasm from Japanese consumers immediately after the launch.

Pepper, created to function as a social companion for humans, is not only able to read human emotions, but can also express feelings of its own to respond to emotional signifiers, like laughing or frowning.     [FULL  STORY]