In this day and age of social media you’d think that we’d have the friend thing covered and yet many are actually feeling more isolated than ever.  For many of us that means we need to put down the computer and go outside but for the elderly and infirmed that can be daunting to impossible. So why not a make believe friend that is real?

Enter the dawning age of the robot companion. I know it sounds like an episode off Sci-fi but it is actually going to be a reality this February.

It will launch first in Japan where their creators Softbank intended these robots to be a member of the family. Softbank is calling it the first ‘affordable’ humanoid, costing around $1,900. And it even has a name ‘Pepper’

Creators have programed this unit to be a caring companion and a useful housemate. It has flashing lights and wheels, but asks humans questions about their feelings, such as whether they are stressed, to act like a concerned friend. Pepper’s programing software can read a human’s face and auditory sensors can hear strain in a person’s voice which runs the information through an algorithm to calculate a person’s mental state and it learns to please them.

Pepper even has learning capabilities. By spending time with a human the robot can make someone feel as if they are accepted and understood, its makers claim, even if the machine doesn't resemble a human.

Optimistic developers are exploring whether robots could help look after isolated people.  They feel the potential could be great for intelligent machines as the number of elderly requiring care is expected to soar in rapidly-aging Japan, like America.

Robotics are already used to check on the elderly and monitor their health and safety, but they might also play a role in reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Although even roboticist concede  that human company is preferable to a robot, but a robotic companion could be helpful and easy.

Pepper Specs:

  • The 48 inch (121 cm) (48 inch) tall, 62lb (28 kg) white Pepper has no hair, but two large doll-like eyes and a flat-panel display stuck on its chest.
  • The machine has gesticulating hands
  • Voice recognition, Pepper is loaded with more than a dozen sensors, including two touch sensors in its hands, three touch sensors on its head, and six laser sensors and three bumper sensors in its base.
  • It also has two cameras and four microphones on its head and has Wi-Fi and ethernet networking capabilities.
  • The robot can even dance and tell jokes.

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