SoftBank's new robot Whiz skips the chit chat, gets to work mopping office floors

SoftBank Group Corp. is introducing a new robot that, unlike the talkative Pepper, skips the chit chat and just mops the floor. Whiz, an autonomous floor-cleaning machine for businesses, will go on sale in Japan in February, the company announced Monday. The 32-kg machine is powered by self-driving software and an array of sensors from Brain Corp., a San Diego-based startup that is part of SoftBank's $100 billion Vision Fund. It will be available for rent for ¥25,000 a month. Pepper, SoftBank's first foray into robotics, was marketed as a companion in the home and as a sales assistant on the shop floor.