First robot employee ‘appointed’ at PSUT

AMMAN — President of the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) Mashhoor Al Refai on Thursday announced the introduction of the first robot to serve in the university, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Japanese-made robot “Pepper” was delivered to the university as a result of friendy relations between Jordan and Japan and efforts made by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at PSUT HRH Princess Sumaya, he said.

The robot is the “first of its kind” in Jordan and is considered the first “intelligent robot in human form”, Rifai said during a ceremony on Thursday. He added that PSUT students, under the supervision of their professors, managed  to programme “Pepper” and its languages. 

Rifai pointed out that “Pepper” was “appointed as an employee at the university”, and became “part of the university family”.

“The robot is an active member in scientific research and in the training of students on its manufacturing and development,” he said. 

PSUT students will develop an Arabic version of the robot’s programming to be presented to Jordanian students with the aim of encouraging them to enter this scientific specialty, Petra reported.  

Pepper is the world’s “first robot designed to live with humans”, it can recognise faces and objects around it, according to Petra. It is also “the first robot capable of recognising and distinguishing the emotions of humans, and thus changing its behaviour and interactions”, Petra said.

For his part, Sanad Bushnaq, who attended the ceremony, stressed that “Jordanian talents can match the Japanese, if the right environment is offered and the existence of this robot in Jordan is a proof”.