Aibo ERS-1000 Companion Robot
© 2019 Sony Electronics, Inc.
Since the first Sony robotic dog launched in 1999, the concept of a "companion robot" has taken many forms. It continually suffers from an identity crises -- is it a toy or an appliance? One thing for sure -- this year's aibo (all lower case) is packed with technology, and has a hefty price. It contains two cameras, WiFi (required) microphones and three touch sensors for capturing environmental information. The data is collected and sent to an off-site AI server allowing the dog to respond individually to as many as 100 people, which it can recognize through it's front (nose) camera. According to Sony PR during CES 2019, no two aibo robots develop the same way. Each owner’s approach to raising their aibo shapes its personality, behavior and knowledge, creating an environment for growth. Over time, aibo continues to learn and develop as each owner’s approach to nurturing gradually shapes its personality. aibo will even learn new tricks through owners’ interactions with other aibo robotic dogs, experiences with changing seasons, and different events. Because this this information is stored on Sony's servers, this data is classified as “biometric information” which is not legal in some areas. Sony aibo includes a three year subscription to an AI Cloud Plan, which lets the dog upload its day-to-day life experiences to Sony’s AI engine. In other words, this dog literally has a brain in the cloud. This database of memories allows aibo to grow and evolve over time. Sony is quick to tell you that this is not a toy. It contains 22 moving joints and 4,000 individual parts. Proper use requires a Wi-Fi connection and an app. You can stay connected with your aibo using the "My aibo" web interphase (https://us.aibo.com/myaibo/) and app, which can be downloaded from Google Play for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iPhones. Learn more at https://direct.sony.com/aibo/.
$2900, iPad, iPhone, Android, Smart Toy
Teaches: robotics, AI