SoftBank and Iris Ohyama Launch New Robotics Venture

It’s understandable if initial results from SoftBank Robotics haven’t generated significant excitement. The company’s most recognized creation is likely Pepper, a humanoid robot created for customer interaction and displaying information, which originated from their 2015 purchase of the French robotics firm Aldebaran.

The firm’s involvement with Boston Dynamics, including its acquisition and subsequent divestment, also warrants consideration. While the arrangement initially helped speed up Boston Dynamics’ market entry, the company was sold to Hyundai relatively quickly in late last year, though SoftBank still retains a 20% ownership stake.

The newest development in SoftBank’s robotics strategy is particularly noteworthy. The company revealed today a partnership with Iris Ohyama. The Japanese company, which will possess a 51% ownership share in the new venture (with SoftBank holding the remaining portion), is primarily recognized for its household products. They manufacture a diverse array of items, encompassing, as reported by Reuters, “a wide variety of goods, ranging from uncooked rice to rice cooking appliances.”

Robotics will soon be included in that product range. The newly established Iris Robotics has declared a very ambitious sales target of $965 million by the year 2025. A joint press statement highlighted concerns related to COVID-19 as a key factor driving the creation of this new division. This strategic decision is certainly logical, as the previous year has significantly increased interest in robotics and automated systems.

The initial products from this collaboration don’t appear to be particularly groundbreaking. The company will initially launch “Iris Editions” of two existing robots: Servi, a robot designed for restaurant service from Bear Robotics, and Whiz, a cleaning robot.

Here is a statement from the CEO of SoftBank Robotics (translated from Japanese):

While the technological goals may not be as extensive as those pursued by companies like Boston Dynamics, Iris Ohyama appears to be in a strong position to achieve success in the consumer robotics market initially.