AIBO ERS 210 is a robotic pet made of plastic. It can recognise vocal commands, play games and explore its environment on mechanised legs. 95,000 AIBOs have been sold worldwide since they were launched in 1999. For the first time, Australians can get their hands on one.
Last month, Sony released AIBO, the robotic pet to the Australian. AIBO, a name derived from the acronym Autonomous Intelligent roBOt, means "companion" in Japanese.
The AIBO project has always been something of a proof of concept mission, arising from Sony's vision of a robot that will bridge the gap between humans and technology, highlighting the possibilities of interaction between the two.
When we unpacked the AIBO, its legs smoothly extended on anatomically correct little knee and hip joints, which was a little bit creepy. It seemed, somehow, like a cold, plastic carcass.
Placing it gingerly on the floor, we switched it on. Immediately AIBO began rocking its head from side to side, emitting quaint little chimes, eyes lighting up in unison.
Simultaneously, 70s style science-fiction computer noise played in the background, along with warbling rapid beeping sounds with random frequencies. This was AIBO's 'wake-up' ritual.
Soon this ended and it gradually sat upright with a convincing series of leg motions that closely approximate the steps a real animal might take, if a little jerky. It then raised its head back, opened its mouth and emitted a theatrical sound like a medieval fanfare. With this, AIBO was live and autonomous. We suppressed the urge to shout "It's alive!" in a maniacal tone, and began to explore the interactive properties of this highly expensive piece of robo-tech.
Eventually the "creature" clambered to its feet, and, taking precise steps with impressive speed, began walking forward, creating a chorus of electrical engine sounds, much like an orchestra of tiny winding winches. AIBO actually emulates the walking pattern of the small four-legged mammals we are familiar with.
This is quite amazing to watch, especially considering that the designers of most domestic robots tend to opt for the simpler wheel-based methods for motion, avoiding the complex machinery required to emulate walking.
AIBO can vary the length of steps it takes on each leg in a prehensile fashion, much as we do to change speed and orientation.
Unlike many products of it's kind, AIBO is fully autonomous. This means that it will carry on operating and exploring its environment, even if there is no one around to influence its behaviour. AIBO can act independently of its owner, free of the need for constant interaction of any kind (though it's programmed to respond to neglect).
The emotive performances that reinforce the AIBO's "animal" identity are immediately apparent. For example, occasionally AIBO would arch its head back and perform a very cute ear-scratching motion. On stimulus to its head sensor or spine sensor, it would play a musical series of chimes, culminating in a little melody to indicate enjoyment. When ignored, AIBO sat down, occasionally panning its head from left to right, tail wagging.
AIBO's sophisticated spatial orientation allows it to explore a complex environment, provided it is flat, manoeuvring with ease. AIBO walked back and forth, deftly avoiding obstacles, travelling to an impressive proximity to objects before turning around and visually scanning again. It would typically walk in one direction, scan, rotate on the spot in a spider-like motion, then scan again, occasionally exhibiting cute dog idiosynchracies, such as ear-scratching, leg-raising, or more anthropomorphic performances such as a little song and dance routine. AIBO actually has five different musical and choreographed acts, which are surprisingly well composed.
An example of a little act that the AIBO performs is a pattern called the "High Five" -- a prefabricated animated response that can be triggered vocally. AIBO opens its mouth, leans sideways and ostentatiously flourishes a paw toward the sky. Pressing its paw pad switch has the expected effect, causing AIBO to make whistling noises, lower its paw and resume the typical patterns, happily "high-fived".
Aiiiiiibo, Aiiiiiibo, Aiiiiiibo
One of the truly impressive locomotive demonstrations AIBO can perform I might be described as "AIBO soccer", a sport which is taken to extreme degrees in the annual Robo-Cup in Japan. There, teams of specially programmed AIBO's compete. The civilian model AIBO comes with a special pink ball, of hard but lightweight plastic that it is adept at recognising.
On detecting its special plastic ball within visual range, AIBO immediately tracks the ball's motion with its head, then begins an intricate process of approaching it, doing tiny steps to orient itself before nudging the ball using it's head. This full-body manoeuvre is accompanied by a strange thrashing sound effect (perhaps intended to mimic a crowd cheering). AIBO also had several methods of batting the ball with its paw as an alternative to the strange theatrical head-butt.
AIBO could track the ball across the floor and follow it to repeatedly carry out this basic process of search & destroy. After the game was over, it returned to the ball of its own accord several times, seeming to remember its location, continuing the game. On spotting the ball in its periphery while not playing, it emitted a musical tone to indicate the discovery. The speed at which it could do this and react was consistently impressive. For example, even while walking across the floor, it could locate the ball and track its location with its head, without stopping. The sophisticated overlap of activities like this really sets AIBO apart from anything released to consumers in the past.
Not to mention the convincing displays of stimulus and response.
I fear the obsession with recreational gadgets is becoming insane. These are toys. Things without a soul or emotions. Kids are becoming more anti-social and obese. Shorter attention spans from hours spent in front of the TV or playstation cripple their concentration in school and their thirst for knowledge.
These toys are dangerous to any children. How can a child mature normally with electronic toys as pets and companions? The real world is full of real people, with real ideas and emotions.
We should understand the consequences of a new technology before we discuss and admire the new features. I'm in favour of many new technologies which serve a constructive purpose. For example, robots used for bomb disposal and other life-threatening situations.