Covid robocop: the droid that reminds you to wear your mask

French robot Pepper detects whether people are wearing face masks and if not, instructs them to wear them. — Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

PARIS: Engineers have developed a robot that can detect whether people are wearing a mask to guard against Covid-19 and, if not, politely remind them to put one on.

The feature is an upgrade of Pepper, a 120 cm (47 in) high robot with human-like features that is already in operation in some countries welcoming visitors to shops, exhibitions and other public spaces.