Term of the Moment
God chip
Definition: Aibo
(Artificial Intelligence roBOt) A robotic dog from Sony that behaves like a living animal, learning and growing through experience. Capable of autonomous behavior, Aibo understands voice commands, and it simulates instincts and feelings with sound and action. Over the years, owners grew quite attached to their Aibos, treating them as if they were live animals, especially in Japan, where the word (pronounced "eye-bo") means companion.
Sold Out in 20 Minutes, Later Dropped
In 1999, the first batch of 3,000 Aibos sold out in 20 minutes over the Internet at $2,500 each. By 2003, third-generation Aibos were released at $1,599 with wireless connectivity, touch-sensor technology, voice and facial recognition and the ability to "raise it" from a puppy. In 2006, after selling more than 150,000 units, Sony canceled the line, citing lack of mainstream appeal. See social robot and AI.
Resurrected With More AI
Sold Out in 20 Minutes, Later Dropped
In 1999, the first batch of 3,000 Aibos sold out in 20 minutes over the Internet at $2,500 each. By 2003, third-generation Aibos were released at $1,599 with wireless connectivity, touch-sensor technology, voice and facial recognition and the ability to "raise it" from a puppy. In 2006, after selling more than 150,000 units, Sony canceled the line, citing lack of mainstream appeal. See social robot and AI.
Revitalized and looking more like a real puppy (bottom), Aibo made a comeback in 2017. In order to act more like a companion, it receives new instructions from the Sony cloud after embedded cameras observe the owner's habits and upload the data for analysis. (Images courtesy of Sony Corporation.)