Robo-Pets
No scooping required. Back in June '99, Sony announced the world's first robot dog. In a program that ran for only a week in Nov. of its first year on the market, the company sold 10,000 of them -- at about US$2500 a pop -- exclusively via the Internet. The trainable pet, named Aibo, was billed as an "Entertainment Robot." An optional motion editor adds an additional US$450 to the price.
The company didn't waste any time in coming out with a new, improved model. The silver or black "ERS-111" model, released later that year, provided new motions and sounds... and redesigned ears and tail.
In Dec.2000, the company added another model to its robotic menagerie: the "ERS-210," a robo-pet (shown below) with smaller ears and possessing a few new tricks.
The ERS-210, which the company says is based on the appearance of a baby lion, features a greater range of emotions than that of the original Aibo line of programmed pooches, and uses a limited form of voice recognition to understand and respond to about 50 words. You can, for example, say "take a photo" and the pet will snap a digital photo with the colour camera concealed in its nose. You can also train the pet to respond to a name you give it. ERS-210 (somebody name this pet, please!) is also more programmable. It includes an adapter for a wireless LAN connection, allowing better PC control, and provides a slot for so-called "Memory Stick" storage (creepily named "Aibo Life").
A couple of features have been removed, though. For one thing, the new Aibo doesn't bark -- a change the company says is an attempt to make it appear less dog-like. Also, unlike, the original model, which would periodically cock its leg and emit the sound of running, uh, water, the new version doesn't have the feature code-named "P." The new pet is less expensive, too, selling for about US$1,500. See www.idg.net for more info or visit Sony's site at http://www.world.sony.com/robot/index.html. For additional commentary, see the article entitled "New Pet Robot Won't Stain the Rug" in Wired News.
Then, in Sept. 2001, the company added two more "cutesie" models to the collection. "Latte" and "Macaron" sell for about US$1000. (See Sony's website for details....)
This was followed in Nov. 2001 by the ERS-220, a more macho-looking model that looks like a cross between a Porsche and a greyhound. It is, the company says, designed to appeal to boys and technology enthusiasts who crave the latest technologies. Its behaviour is said to be somewhat more aggressive than other Aibos --for example, it makes a "revving" sound when excited. The ERS-220 features a pop-up headlight, a camera that takes JPEG images in "surveillance mode" and and a speech recognition unit allowing the US$1500 digital dog to recognize up to 75 unique words -- its predecessors and less-costly cousins top out at 50. Extra-cost software allows enthusiasts to program new tricks into "Mr. 220," including dance moves. (Read more....)
However, some Aibo fans were disappointed after Sony's lawyers began pursuing programmers who attempt to customize their robots with home-built programs. The company in Nov. 2001 forced a programmer to remove from his Web site code that changed the behavior of its Aibo robot dog. According to a report in New Scientist, the programs gave Aibo new functionality. One, called Disco Aibo, made the robotic canine dance to music. (Read more...)
Fortunately, the company has apparently rethought this policy and, as of June 2002, says it will offer free software kits for its plastic pet dog, which will give owners many more training options. "Sony wants to actively promote OPEN-R architecture for entertainment robots by highlighting its ability to modify the robot's functionality," it said in a statement, essentially admitting that open development would help widen the appeal of the robot. (Read more....)
Most recently, Sony announced the ERS-7, a new Aibo it says is the most dog-like version yet. A redesigned head gives a Snoopy-like appearance and a built-in wireless communications system allows Aibo to transmit pictures to an 802.11b-enabled PC, but at a price -- the new Aibo is US$300 more than its predecessor.
For Further Reading:
Affordable Alternatives
If the price tag of Aibo stands in the way of a digital dog in your future, you might consider the computer equivalent of a pound mutt. "Poo-Chi" is a US$30 entertainment robot from Tiger Electronics, a division of Hasbro. The toys don't move around, but can stand up, sit down, bark, snore and dance. The dog is designed to react to light, sound, and touch, and will interact with other Poo-Chis it encounters. According to company officials, it thrives on touch -- a design that made Tiger's Furby a great hit with kids.
The Lego Mindstorms Personal Robotics system (US$199 for a basic Robotics Invention System) is a relatively inexpensive point of entry for those who want to delve into the world of creating and programming their own robots. As you might expect from Lego, the kits are backward compatible with its popular building-block systems and are available in a wide array of kits and expansion sets. Star Wars enthusiasts can build working replicas of their favorite droids and, of course, the devices can be interfaced to personal computers or remotely controlled. (Students at Brown University taking the Computer Science Department's CS148 course built some fantastic robots in 2002 using Lego Mindstorms. The results of the students' creativity included bipedal robobts, sonar mappers, and even a robotic bar tender!)
Mindstorms add-ons provide sensors for sound, temperature, touch, infrared signals and other data inputs. And, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in May 2000, the company introduced a US$99 "robotic vision" add-on called Vision Command. Released in Sept. 2000, the device provides the ability for a Lego Mindstorms robot to see, allowing it to follow you around the room. The Vision Command eye also works as a stand-alone camera, for Web conferencing, video recording, etc. Recommended.
For computer-cat lovers, there's Tama, a US$500 robotic cat designed to be a conversation partner for elderly people.
And with a recipe that sounds like a sure-fire winner with young boys, toy manufacturer Hasbro in late 2001 hit the market with a new generation of low-cost robot bugs, designed to learn basic behaviors and interact (make that "fight") with other battle-bugs. According to robotics fans, the US$40 bugs are more fun than the pricey Aibo. See the Hasbro website for more info on B.I.O. Mechanical Bugs.
And, at the extreme other end of the price scale, how about a virtual robot? www.pandorabots.com offers experimental software robot (also known as a bot) hosting services. From any browser, you may create your own robots and publish your robots - making them available to anyone with a browser. www.imortalportal.com has a demo of a bot named Pandora, who likes to discuss pizza, politics and Star Trek, and is continuously learning as much as she can about a variety of other topics.
Robot Maid
The Probotics Cye robot is not imitative of an existing creature in the way that Aibo or, say C3PO from Star Wars is, but Cye can be useful. A vacuum cleaning attachment allows Cye to perform house-duties, and a tray attachment allows Cye to function as as a robotic waiter. Cye was originally US$700, until, as the author of an excellent Scientific American article on "robots that suck" wryly notes, the company lost its sense and raised the price to $2700. with a chrome-plated model, available only through Hammacher-Schlemmer, available for more. The latest "SR" model includes new Sound Response capabilities that allow the robot to respond to hand-claps. There is also a strictly "fun" component to this. If you turn on loud rhythmic music, Cye will dance.
And, if robotic servants are your thing, check out the Roomba, from iRobot Corp. This robotic vacuum (excuse me: "Intelligent FloorVac") is fairly inexpensive at US$200, but surprisingly efficient at cleaning carpet, wood, linoleum and tile. USA Today has details.
And, speaking of Star Wars, Wal-Mart offers an R2-D2 robot for $97.87 that, the company says, is easy to control and walks, talks and responds to your commands. Equipped with a sonar navigation system and infrared scanning technology sensors, it responds to 40 spoken phrases, sings three songs and can even carry a 12-ounce beverage. Hey bot - bring me another beer! Slashdot has additional commentary.
Security Bot
Also noted at Slashdot: Tokyo-based Sanyo and smaller tmsuk in Nov. 2002 announced a device they call "The first 'serious' new-age gadget." Their "Banryu" home robot is shaped somewhat like a dragon and can walk 15m/min., hear, sense in the infrared, and apparently "smell" a fire in the home. It even transmits real-time video. Read more....
At this rate, in five or ten years, these things will actually be useful.
For Further Reading
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