Chinese home appliances manufacturer Haier Electronics Group Co. Ltd. on March 6 announced a strategic partnership with SoftBank Group Corp.'s Robotics Group to explore the service robot market in China.
The two companies plan to collaborate on SoftBank Robotics Group's humanoid robot "Pepper." The companies will develop a smart home and smart store version of Pepper using an open system developed by Haier.
The robot has a "human-like" appearance and can be linked to smart appliances. The robot also has an ability for emotional interaction, according to the statement. Haier said it plans to develop its own service robot in the next five years.
