'I'm cheering for you': Robot welcome at Tokyo quarantine news.yahoo.com

Humanoid robot Pepper will offer support and advice to patients in coronavirus quarantine at a Tokyo hotel (AFP Photo/Philip FONG)Tokyo (AFP) - Coronavirus quarantine can be lonely, but at one Tokyo hotel converted to accept patients with mild symptoms, a humanoid robot will be there to offer support and encouragement -- as well as admonishments and warnings.
Please eat well to get healthy," is among the messages that the pint-sized Pepper robot will be delivering to coronavirus patients waiting out their quarantine at one Tokyo establishment.
Tokyo's government has so far made deals with five hotels, securing around 2,800 rooms for coronavirus patients, though only 200 are currently in use.
"Since patients are infected with COVID-19, it is not possible to have a real person to interact with," said Kan Kiyota, marketing director of SoftBank, which makes the Pepper robot.
The hotel is also trialling a robot cleaner, which will operate in the lobby without human assistance.