Japan scientist invents talking robots that won’t try to make sense

New talking robot Sota, right, talks with fellow talking robots CommU, left and center, during a press event at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation Miraikan in Tokyo, Tuesday. Pic: AP.

TOKYO (AP) — The scientist behind a new talking robot in Japan says people should stop expecting robots to understand them, and instead try to chime in with robotic conversations.

Hiroshi Ishiguro’s 28-centimer (11-inch) tall button-eyed Sota, which stands for “social talker,” is programmed to mainly talk with a fellow robot, and won’t be trying too hard to understand human speech — the major, and often frustrating, drawback of companion robots.

Sota, shown to reporters at a Tokyo museum Tuesday, goes on sale in July at under 100,000 yen ($850) each.

Robot maker Vstone simplified Ishiguro’s research for the mass-produced Sota. It expects to sell 3,000 of them in the first year.