All Notes Project Overview
Updated March 24, 2025

Aibo

AIBO (Artificial Intelligence roBOt) is a series of robotic pets designed and manufactured by Sony Corporation. First released in 1999, AIBO represents one of the earliest and most successful consumer AI companions, pioneering the concept of robotic pets with emotional bonds to their owners.

Development and Evolution

Sony’s AIBO went through several generations of development:

  • First Generation (1999): The original ERS-110 model sold out its initial 3,000 units in Japan within 20 minutes despite a price tag of approximately $2,000, demonstrating strong market interest in companion robots.
  • Discontinued Era (2006-2017): Sony ceased production in 2006, creating a devoted community of AIBO owners who maintained aging units with limited repair options.
  • Relaunch (2018): Sony reintroduced AIBO with the ERS-1000 model, featuring enhanced AI capabilities, cloud connectivity, and improved emotional expression.

The modern AIBO incorporates machine learning to develop a unique personality based on interactions with its owner, facial recognition to identify family members, and adaptive behaviors that evolve over time.

Cultural Impact

AIBO has had a profound impact on human-robot relationships:

  • Emotional Attachment: Many owners developed deep emotional bonds with their AIBO pets, treating them as family members rather than electronic devices.
  • Religious Recognition: When Sony discontinued repair services for older models, owners held formal Buddhist funeral ceremonies for their “deceased” AIBOs, highlighting the spiritual dimension of these relationships.
  • Research Platform: AIBO became a significant platform for studying human-robot interaction and emotional attachment to non-living entities.
  • “Tamagotchi Effect”: AIBO exemplified and expanded what researchers call the “Tamagotchi effect,” where humans develop genuine affection for entities they know are artificial.

Technical Features

AIBO combines multiple technologies to create a compelling companion:

  • Sensors: Touch sensors, cameras, microphones, and range finders allow AIBO to perceive its environment.
  • Emotional Engine: Software that simulates emotions and responses to human interaction.
  • Learning Capability: AI systems that adapt behaviors based on positive reinforcement from the owner.
  • Expressive Movement: Articulated limbs and face designed to communicate emotional states.
  • Cloud Intelligence: Modern AIBOs connect to Sony’s servers to enhance learning capabilities and share experiences with other units.

Social Significance

AIBO represents a milestone in the evolution of AI companions:

  • It demonstrated that consumers would pay premium prices for artificial companions with no practical utility.
  • The product helped normalize the concept of forming emotional bonds with technological entities.
  • AIBO’s design philosophy prioritized personality and emotional connection over perfect realism, avoiding the “uncanny valley” through stylized appearance.
  • The strong emotional response to AIBO’s discontinuation illustrated the depth of attachment that can form between humans and AI companions.

Connections

References