SoftBank hires UK team for robotics push

Its robots include Pepper, a 4-foot tall humanoid assistant with a tablet computer, designed for giving directions or assistance – or for use in care homes. In Japan, it has already been deployed in a variety of roles, in one case even donning a Buddist robe and being employed as a robot priest. Its latest robots include Nao, a 2-foot tall robot for education and research, and Whiz, an autonomous robot vacuum cleaner. SoftBank Group, led by investor Masayoshi Son, has taken a keen interest in robotics as part of his vision for a future connected world. It has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in robotics start-ups, including backing Zume – which designed a pizza making robot – and in January it led a $32m (£24m) round in robot waiter start-up bear robotics.