SoftBank Pepper — Specs & Review
Specifications
| Brand | SoftBank |
|---|---|
| Model | Pepper |
| Year | 2014 |
| Category | Humanoid, Companion |
| Autonomy | semi-autonomous |
| Environment | indoor |
| Weight | 28 kg |
| Dimensions | 48cm L × 42.5cm W × 120cm H |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Rating | 4.2/5 (187 reviews) |
| Country of origin | JP |
Key features
- DISCONTINUED for new orders (2021) — large installed base remains
- First humanoid designed for retail and hospitality deployment
- Emotion engine + tablet chest display
- Multilingual conversational AI — 15+ languages
- Deployed at HSBC, Pizza Hut, SoftBank stores globally
- Defining influence on commercial social robot market
- Software support continues for existing installations
What is it?
SoftBank Pepper was the world's first commercially deployed social humanoid robot — a retail/hospitality companion that defined the commercial social robot category, now discontinued for new orders.
Status
DISCONTINUED for new orders (2021) — existing installations continue with support. Not available for new purchase.
Historical significance
- First to prove consumer-facing humanoid deployment at scale
- Deployed in 15,000+ locations globally at peak
- Influenced every subsequent commercial social robot design
Key specs (historical)
- Height: 120 cm; wheeled base
- Emotion engine: Detects and responds to human emotions
- Display: 10.1-inch chest tablet
- Languages: 15+
- Notable deployments: HSBC, Pizza Hut, SoftBank, hospitals
Replacement options
For new deployments: Promobot V4, AvatarMind iPal, or purpose-built kiosk robots depending on use case.
FAQ
What was SoftBank Pepper used for?
Pepper was designed for social interaction in commercial environments — greeting customers, answering questions, and engaging visitors in HSBC branches, Pizza Hut restaurants, SoftBank stores, hospitals, and airports. At its peak it was deployed at over 15,000 locations globally, making it the most commercially deployed humanoid robot in history.
Is SoftBank Pepper still available to buy?
No. SoftBank ceased accepting new Pepper orders in 2021 and ended production. Existing installations continue with software support, but Pepper is no longer available for new deployment. For new social robot projects, alternatives such as Promobot V4 or purpose-built service kiosks are recommended.
How much did SoftBank Pepper cost?
Pepper was not sold as a consumer product. Commercial operators paid approximately ¥198,000 (roughly $1,800) for the hardware plus a monthly service subscription of around ¥55,000 ($500) over a 3-year contract — totalling approximately $20,000–24,000 over the contract period. It was not available for outright consumer purchase.
Who was SoftBank Pepper designed for?
Pepper was designed for commercial operators in retail, hospitality, banking, healthcare, and public venues — any environment requiring a customer-facing social robot for engagement, information delivery, or brand presence. It was not designed for home consumer use.
What made SoftBank Pepper historically significant?
Pepper was the world's first humanoid robot designed explicitly for human emotional interaction and the first deployed commercially at global scale. Its emotion-detection engine, 10.1-inch chest tablet display, multilingual conversational AI (15+ languages), and 15,000+ global deployments established the template for commercial social robotics — influencing every subsequent service robot design.