VARTA AG and SoftBank Robotics Europe expand the cooperation beyond battery supply for first social humanoid robot. In the future, VARTA will not only be a battery supplier for Pepper – the world’s first social humanoid robot – but will work together with SoftBank Robotics Europe on a new battery format for various new applications in the field of robotics. VARTA and SoftBank Robotics Europe have been working together since 2012.
The successful cooperation in the areas of product and project development as well as in technical design is now being continued and intensified in a new major project: Together, the two technology companies are developing a battery platform that will serve as a battery module for new robotic applications from SoftBank Robotics Europe.
The first joint project of VARTA and Softbank Robotics was the development of the battery for the humanoid robot Pepper, which has facial recognition and can connect with humans through conversation and touchscreen. Pepper is used as an assistant in various industries and areas.
The platform’s batteries will be used in new markets in the latest version of Pepper and other innovative applications such as next-generation robotic platforms.
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Gordon Clements, General Manager, VARTA Solutions:
The whole field of robotics has a significant impact on our lives. VARTA was able to master the complex battery requirements for a humanoid robot like Pepper, translate them into a simple solution, and then go into series production.
“Now we want to further develop the technology and make it applicable to the entire portfolio of Softbank Robotics. With the planned battery platform, we are creating the basis for many different autonomous and intelligent robot applications that will make our lives easier and more comfortable. We also reduce SoftBank Robotics’ time-to-market and investment in the implementation of new robotic applications.”
Xavier Lacherade, COO of SoftBank Robotics Europe.
Thanks to its extensive expertise and recent successes in various market applications, VARTA is working with SoftBank Robotics Europe teams to define the battery for our next-generation robotics platform.
“The goal is always to accelerate time-to-market and propose a good cost structure without compromising performance and functionality. This state-of-the-art architecture enables SoftBank Robotics Europe to use the same battery as a global asset for various projects and products. The VARTA team connects us to a complete ecosystem of WW manufacturing capacities and partners,”
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The platform’s batteries are manufactured on highly automated production facilities at the VARTA site in Brasov, Romania. With more than ten years of experience on high-tech production lines, around two million individual battery formats and solutions are manufactured there every year for major customers and OEMs. About SoftBank
Robotics SoftBank Robotics Europe (SBRE) is a leader in the field of humanoid robotics, is headquartered in Paris and employs around 400 people.
SoftBank Robotics is the developer of the NAO and Pepper robots, which are now used in more than 70 countries worldwide in various fields such as retail, healthcare, tourism and education. SoftBank Robotics Europa is a subsidiary of SoftBank Robotics Group Corp.
VARTA AG und SoftBank Robotics Europa erweitern die Zusammenarbeit, April 1, 2021
