REAL LIFE NEWS: WELCOME BACK AIBO THE ROBOT DOG
by Hazed
After la recent issue’s hideous headless, limbless robot cat (see http://www.ibgames.net/fednews/2017/171029/official08.html), this week’s robot animal story is about a cute little robot dog, Aibo, who is being resurrected.
Sony created Aibo in 1999, pioneering entertainment robots. It shipped around 150,000 of the robots in Japan but then it ceased production after seven years, leading many owners distraught as there was no longer any way to repair their poochbots when they broke down.
Now the company has decided to revive Aibo. Its new incarnation will be white, with a black tail and ears. It will be 30 centimeters long – puppy-sized. The ears will flap and the tail will wag. AI has moved on a lot since the first Aibo models, so the new Aibo is being billed as a pet that behaves like a real dog, using AI to learn and interact with its owner and its surroundings. The upgraded robot is now packed with an array of sensors, cameras, microphones and internet connectivity, as well as far more advanced AI backed by cloud computing to develop the dog’s personality.
Aibo will be on sale in January in Japan for 198,000 yen (about $17,300). The company will evaluate whether to sell in overseas.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/01/sony-aibo-ai-robotic-dog-back-from-dead
