In 1999, Sony developed a robotic companion that stunned the technology market with just how far the company wanted to push the envelope and create something unique. Now, almost 20 years later, Sony is relaunching the adorable pup with a whole new set of tools to rule the artificial intelligence world.
Aibo’s latest edition is packed with every single feature you could want in a robot dog. Not only can Aibo recognize 100 different faces, but each unit is capable of developing its own personality based on how much love its owner gives it. Additionally, with the spread of the internet, Aibo will be able to connect to cloud services as well. He remembers and stores information and is always learning, making Aibo the perfect pet for robotics lovers and those who can’t have real animals in their home life.
According to Sony, Aibo is not programmed with much intelligence, but instead has an algorithm that picks up on what you teach it. It can takes months for it to learn tricks, just like a regular dog might. And when you purchase one of the “First Litter” editions of the new Aibo, you will get 3 years of free cloud storage for him to store every day’s worth of memories you make with him.
But what will Aibo cost? Well, compared to a real dog, if you factor in what you would pay for annual vet visits, vaccinations, and care items, it’s actually not that crazy. The first units will be on sale in September for $2,899. This pice also includes two toys for Aibo to play with in addition to the aforementioned cloud service. Aibo is expected to ship in time for the holiday 2018 season.
