Sony Aibo Updated, will Greet You at the Door

Seems to be only assistant system left that makes a claim to being mobile and family friendly.   Home oriented.   With elements of a home pet emphasized.   We visited their lab early on, and that was one of the claims.  But it never seems to have reached that.  Notably similar in aims to the Kuri, now defunct.

Sony's Aibo robot will now greet you at the front door.  So, so adorable.
Nick Summers, @nisummers in Engadget

Sony’s robotic Aibo pup continues to learn new tricks. Thanks to a new software update, the android companion will now predict when you come home and sit patiently at the front door. Or that’s the idea, anyway. According to Sony’s website, you’ll first need to assign a meeting place — the entrance to your front home — by saying a phrase like “this is where you should go.” Aibo should then lower its head and ‘sniff’ the ground to indicate that it’s storing the location. If the process is successful, a door icon should appear on the map located inside the companion app.  ... "

Claims of over 100K sold in various forms, costing as much as  $2,900 each. There had seemed to be some indications it might be abandoned,  but this recent software update would say otherwise.   Glad the general idea continues, it has a place. 

Some detail in the Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIBO

A Look at Aibo Robot Dog Programming

Have mentioned this a number of times, we saw it demonstrated in Japan when it first came out, now more, specifically about how it can be programmed.    Note again this has been around for 20 years.    Liked the idea then , but it was hard to tell how it might be significantly programmed with more capabilities.  Good non technical look.   Will look deeper yet.

How to Program Sony's Robot Dog Aibo
We take a look at the new visual programming interface and API for Sony’s adorable robot dog   By Evan Ackerman

The Sony Aibo has been the most sophisticated home robot that you can buy for an astonishing 20 years. The first Aibo went on sale in 1999, and even though there was a dozen year-long gap between 2005’s ERS-7 and the latest ERS-1000, there was really no successful consumer robot over that intervening time that seriously challenged the Aibo .... " 

Aibo Robot Dogs in the Cloud

Considerable report on how Japan is still using the Aibo robot dog for eldercare and companions.  We saw it in Japan during its earliest roll-out, then there was much touting of its value at the time, in its ability to relate to emotions and be a companion.     Personally I did not see that then , it was very primitive in natural language processing or emotion detection.  It was more its form and cute-ness that led to interaction.  Then it seemed to founder, then got off our radar.  But it seems there is still much interest, at least in Japan.   The idea has been brought back by assistants.

All Robot Dogs Go To The Cloud  in BuzzfeedNews

In Japan’s companion robots, AI and algorithms reflect back our worst fears and highest hopes — of death and for love.    ....

Toyota Towards Robots for the Home

Perhaps surprising direction for the automobile corp, though they have had home style robots for some time.  With some plans for upcoming Olympics.

Toyota turns to AI startup to accelerate goal of robots for the home
By Kevin Buckland in Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has designs on making robot helpers for your home, and has enlisted a Japanese startup that specializes in artificial intelligence to jump-start its plan.

Toyota's HSR (Human Support Robot) delivers a basket to a woman in a wheelchair at a demonstration of Tokyo 2020 Robot Project for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan ...  

Japan’s biggest automaker and Tokyo-based Preferred Networks Inc will carry out joint research to develop so-called service robots that are “capable of learning in typical living environments”, the companies said in statements on Wednesday.

The two firms have already been collaborating on driverless vehicles since 2014.

Eighty-year-old manufacturing giant Toyota is trying to transform itself and adapt to technology, such as ride-hailing and automated driving, that is disrupting the auto industry. ..... " 

Sony Advanced Robot Aibo Dog

Saw the early version of the Aibo dog demonstrated in Japan.    Tried to get a demo for our space, but it never happened.   Japan was and is interested in eldercare: 'friendly' robot solutions.  Reminds me a bit of the Kuri robot, which aims to be a friendly family member, with some assistant components.  The Alexa assistant has been described as friendly,  with hints of being a family member.   Is this a component that will sell home robotics?  Will mere friendliness sell? Note the many sensors included.

Sony Unleashes New Aibo Robot Dog    by John Boyd

Eighteen years after unveiling its original Aibo robot dog, Sony is now reviving the iconic product using advanced mechatronics and AI to create a cuter, smarter, and more lifelike version. The new Aibo is crammed with ultracompact actuators, two cameras, touch sensors, microphones, and a 64-bit quad-core CPU. According to a Sony executive, the robot uses AI to create "a bond with its owners that can grow over time." Sony will start selling Aibo early next year. ... " 

Home Robots in Retreat?

PC Mags Lance Ulanoff in his Holiday Robot Buying Guide, writes about the status of home robotics that aim to do real work. Following this for some time, I get a similar read. Though I did see the Roomba prominently displayed at the local Costco. No things we could really use; robot butler, or home maid or laundry helper yet on the horizon.

" ... Wow Wee's Robosapien and Roboraptor and iRobot's Roomba should have been the sparks that ignited the industry. Instead, the lit fuse has been snuffed out. Wow Wee's newest Roboreptile is entertaining, but it has done little to move the industry forward. Meanwhile, the excitement surrounding iRobot's Roomba has dimmed, and the Scooba floor mop has not been a Roomba-like hit. Worse yet, instead of more companies flooding into the consumer robot space, there seem to be fewer. Sony dismantled its consumer robots division and killed off the AIBO and the Qrio, and Radio Shack dumped the Vex robot kit ..."