back to article Pepper robot acts like real teenager, gets job at Pizza Hut

SoftBank Robotic's "Pepper" humanoid robot will soon be put to work selling pizzas in Asia. The robotics division of the Japanese business giant has struck a deal with MasterCard and Pizza Hut to place Pepper units in select pizza parlors in the region. The Pepper bots will be used in the pilot program to both greet customers …

  1. Mpeler
    Paris Hilton

    How about a rampant robot

    Any chance they could make "pepper" look like the "rampant robot" ?

    1. Alister

      Re: How about a rampant robot

      Any chance they could make "Pepper" look like Gwyneth Paltrow??

  2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Oh great!

    Gentleman, we have the techology to build robots to enhance the lives of every human being in the world. Any suggestions as to where to deploy them first?

    <raises hand>How about we build salesdroids sir?

    Excellent, Smithers, get to it right away!

  3. Ken Y-N
    Terminator

    Dentist near my office has one

    Fortunately as a receptionist/greeter-type role; it's not let loose on your teeth.

    1. David 132 Silver badge

      Re: Dentist near my office has one

      while (patient_is_alive)

      {

      speakf ("Is it safe?")

      }

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge

      Re: Dentist near my office has one

      you know, dentists often treat people who have swollen faces, numbness from the painkiller you were just injected with, or the inability to move part of your face because of "why you are at the dentist".

      I wonder how the robot reads 'facial expressions' when YOUR! FACE! DOES! NOT! WORK! PROPERLY!!! That and still drooling and droopy-faced because of the new filling...

  4. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    Is anyone else thinking "Get on the cart, toadies" ?

    Actually for those who really want robotics to become science fact and not SF you are going to need systems that can read peoples feelings and respond to them.

    Although the way supermarkets are going self service at checkouts will there be many human service jobs left for it to take over?

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge

      Re: Is anyone else thinking "Get on the cart, toadies" ?

      "you are going to need systems that can read peoples feelings and respond to them."

      why bother, when average humans aren't very likely to give a crap and respond accordingly.

      "You want it... WHEN?" "Have it YOUR way?" "I'll get to you as soon as I'm not busy."

      yeah, never seen THAT happen...

      [Us Americans are probably as good at queuing as our British counterparts, with the obligatory 'Hitchhiker' reference of course, and know well the frustration of the average un-caring teller]

  5. caffeine addict

    It's getting grief from kids in Japan?

    Now imagine sticking it in a kebab shop on a Friday night...

    1. TitterYeNot

      "Now imagine sticking it in a kebab shop on a Friday night..."

      Nah, they have another model for that sort of situation, Pepper's sibling ED.

      "Please put down the red-hot chilli sauce - you have 20 seconds to comply.

      You now have 15 seconds to comply..."

    2. Darryl

      I doubt that it would get damaged... It probably wouldn't be in the shop long before somebody made off with it

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I didn't realise I was such a robophobe

    But I want to push it to see if it has a good sense of balance.

    1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

      Re: I didn't realise I was such a robophobe

      Yeah, tipping cows is so 19th century...

  7. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    Rise of the Machines

    El Reg is slipping, why is this important story not being reported as a strike by human freedom fighters against evil robot oppressors?

    Icon would be a Reg gravestone but I can't be bothered to find out how to furtle the POST.

  8. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

    I was just waiting for it to say

    "Share and Enjoy!!"

    I personally would much rather be served by a human than a humanoid robot which generates an intolerable air of smugness whenever it is about to sell you something.

    A human would (OK: might) know when to be chirpy and cheerful, and when just to be businesslike. There are situation when chirpy and cheerful might earn a robot a reprogramming with a big axe it will never forget

    1. DropBear

      Re: I was just waiting for it to say

      Interesting. I literally cannot think of a situation (more or less within the limits of standard retail) where I would want to be served by a human instead of a computer. MUCH less messy.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I was just waiting for it to say

      Upvote for HHGTTG references.

    3. David 132 Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: I was just waiting for it to say

      "Share and Enjoy!!"

      Unfortunately, while porting the code from Big-Endian to Little-Endian architecture, the lower half of each byte was lost, and the robot now cheerily exhorts customers to "Go stick your head in a pig!".

  9. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Hmm... should be feasible to mod it a bit in an unobserved moment. Like sticking a little audio box on it's back that yells EXTERMINATE!!! or something like that.

    1. Antron Argaiv Silver badge
      Happy

      Only a matter of time until some enterprising hacker finds the enabled SSH port on its wifi

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is phase 2

    where you put them into clothes shops where they gather in a corner, trying to avoid all contact with humanity?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This

    Thank god a waiter that wont whinge when I dont tip.

    *leaves restaurant flipping off robot after leaving zero tip*

    Asimovs Laws of Robotics bitch!

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    but can it gob on the pizza of a fuckwit customer?

    j/k

  13. NotBob

    So

    Am I still expected to tip? Inquiring minds need to know.

  14. Chemical Bob

    About the location of that touchscreen

    So we have to stare at and fondle it's chest to interact with it? Hmmmm....

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      Re: About the location of that touchscreen

      At least it can't complain by saying "my eyes are up here".

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hooters

    Are going to struggle with robot waitresses I feel.

    Iron Tits and Flangeulon 5000 don't have the same ring as Filthy Pam and Sloppy Sheila.

    Spilling your drink on them will only yeild a massive insurance lawsuit against you rather than pointy nipples.

    1. Chemical Bob

      Re: Hooters

      "robot waitresses I feel"

      And which robot waitresses have you been feeling?

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