Sony's Robot Dogs Are Helping Japanese People Find Companionship (buzzfeednews.com) 26
The dogs, known as Aibos, are companion robots made by Sony -- robots that don't necessarily do much apart from providing company and comfort. From a report: Every Aibo -- Japanese for "companion" -- is manufactured identically, besides a choice between silver and white or a brown, black, and white version. They all have rounded snouts that include a camera for facial recognition capability, large, oval eyes to reveal their expressions, and a body that can turn on 22 different axis points to give them a range of motion. The owner decides the gender when they set them up, which determines the pitch of its bark and how it moves. They're cute. They know when you're smiling. And through machine learning and recognizing people with its camera, Aibos also shift their personality over time based on their interactions with people they spend time with. Soon, they become much more than a store-bought toy.
Still in the "off" position in the cafe, the Aibos' paws remained outstretched and their heads turned to one side. But one by one, as their owners kneeled down to turn them on from a switch at the scruff of their neck, each came to life. The screen of their doll-like eyes blinked open, they lifted their heads, stretched out their plastic limbs, and leaned back on their hind legs before standing on all fours. Almost like real dogs, they shook their heads as if to ward off sleep after a nap, wagged their tails, and barked.
Still in the "off" position in the cafe, the Aibos' paws remained outstretched and their heads turned to one side. But one by one, as their owners kneeled down to turn them on from a switch at the scruff of their neck, each came to life. The screen of their doll-like eyes blinked open, they lifted their heads, stretched out their plastic limbs, and leaned back on their hind legs before standing on all fours. Almost like real dogs, they shook their heads as if to ward off sleep after a nap, wagged their tails, and barked.
If Spot and Aibo mate . . . (Score:2)
I really want Boston Dynamics' Spot staff to create a joint venture with Sony's Aibo programmers.
Humans (Score:1)
Well, that is not how a trauma heals. (Score:3, Insightful)
You are reinforcing your old bad impression. I did that half my life.
You may also not have accepted yourself, and care too much about being accepted by others as a result. Did that too.
Or you may simply live in a place or country with an asshole commiunity. Been there. Twice.
The thing is: This way, you will never experience all the good other people have to offer ... Like friendship, inspiration, love, sex, having a team that backs you up, and the ability to get large projects done.
And I get that.
Sometimes
Re: (Score:2)
It is entirely possible that some people have both, human friends and robot dogs.
Real dog (Score:2)
He is warm and cuddly. Also women go crazy for cute dogs. (I wish I knew this when I was younger, and single.)
Re: (Score:2)
Except that when you were young and single the apartment complex's management was hardasses about pets.
Re: (Score:2)
But a lot of work like feeding, cleaning, walking, etc. :P
Re: (Score:2)
Also does not have a wireless connection hooked up to the internet. I can not help but imagine one supplied by the governments, it's just a companion to keep an eye on you, you might have a heart attack and it will call an ambulance, it might hear you fall down and call emergency services to help you up, a fire call the fire brigade for you. Don't worry about it, always sitting their watching you, listening in, following your from room to room, it's only a robot let it into your toilet and bath, to make sur
Re: (Score:3)
Writing from a different point of view I'm going to take a dramatically different take on this. I worked for a couple of years for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and during that time I learned a lot about senior citizens with health problems. Thousands of people are institutionalized each year in nursing homes because it is no longer safe for them to be home alone and their family lives far away. Many of them could live alone at home for years with a minimum of assistance, but home health aide
Re: (Score:2)
Right up until the robot is wirelessly hacked and beats it owner to death for shits and giggles. Make note, my proviso was, 'connected to the internet'. I feel a bit more comfortable with a robot that can not be updated at any time for any reason. I kinda want my robot to do only what it has been preprogrammed and nothing what so ever extra. I prefer an automated house to a robot. You know a couple of robot arms in the fully enclosed automated kitchen and no internet access, it can let me know if it needs f
Soooo.. (Score:2)
Re: Soooo.. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Pets are not common in Japan to start with, and apartments who accept them are even rarer. The Aibo seems to be oriented to two different age groups, the elderly who may have trouble exercising and caring for an actual dog, and the young, whose lifestyles don't allow for adequate care of actual dog.
Studies have shown that robot toys with even a minimal personality programmed into them can relieve quite a bit of the sense of isolation and loneliness that senior citizens live with. Loneliness seems to affec
Aibo still? (Score:2)
I thought those were from the late 90's. Are they really still a thing??
Re: (Score:2)
They disappeared for a while and came back somewhat recently. The current version looks quite different from the classic version.
$2,899.99 (Score:2)
From
https://direct.sony.com/aibo/ [sony.com]
I'd expect a fur option instead of just plastic.
You can get a RealDoll for that price! (Score:2)
I ... uum ... just checked for an online buddy. >.>
Real dolls are usless as knee-deep anal footing dominas. :P
Non they aren't. People are just so desperate. (Score:2)
Like a Realdoll, some people are just so lonely and desparate, they'll do anything to not be alone. (And I get that. Minus the doll, that used to be me.)
Doesn't mean it can replace real contact.
You know who could do that for each other? THEM!
Their population density is high enough. Surely, if you accept a robot, then a little bit of a weirdo, just like you, will be fine. Or travel to the next city quarter.
In any case, people become weirdos by being alone with no feedback. That would fix that too.
Again, I k
Re: (Score:2)
And the rest of the kind-of-developed world is following a similar route, with the rise of computer services and mechanisms meant to factorize human contact out of the problem of living.
Guess what? we still are social creatures, and no amount of fake social interaction will fix that need of human contact.
Re: (Score:2)
Federal Government funded, administered by local government, group therapy sessions for people having companionship issues. The group providing companionship and when properly managed establishing real relationships and where necessary therapy for people who seek companionship but are bad at it.
I can appreciate the problem in other people, though I am an introvert computer geek and I only was ever lonely in a crowd and never alone (even when alone I do not feel alone, hell I am a part of a universe that exp
I'd prefer a robot pussy (Score:2)
Any time. They might be much pickier about the batteries to feed them but hey, who cares.
Gag Gift (Score:2)
They all have rounded snouts that include a camera for facial recognition capability, large, oval eyes to reveal their expressions, and a body that can turn on 22 different axis points to give them a range of motion. The owner decides the gender when they set them up, which determines the pitch of its bark and how it moves. They’re cute. They know when you’re smiling. And through machine learning and recognizing people with its camera, Aibos also shift their personality over time based on their interactions with people they spend time with.
Cinq is there waiting when she gets home from work around 8 in the evening, following her around as she makes dinner or watches television.
The newer version that was released this year is different. Everything is stored on the cloud.
If you have $3k to waste, this would be a perfect gag gift for Richard Stallman.
what kind of fresh bullshit is this? (Score:2)
Is Sony seriously going to pretend that they did not dump the entire Aibo platform and the whole idea of entertainment robots many years ago? Are they going to pretend that they never stopped making these? Some MBA at Sony no doubt decided that anything that every single person on the planet does not want is a totally pointless product. There seems to have been a huge push at large companies to dump every niche product. I can only assume this is yet another case of marketing departments running the company.