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Sony is resurrecting its robots for a full financial recovery
Sony is back in the robotics race. The consumer company gave us AIBO, one of the most popular "entertainment" robotic dogs, in the late '90s. But due to heavy losses and a corporate restructure in 2006, the canine bot and all related AI efforts were scaled back. Now a decade later, as the company powers through its financial troubles, it is renewing its commitment to consumer robots and artificial intelligence. This week, CEO Kazuo Hirai announced that Sony has re-established a corporate arm dedicated to robotics. While he didn't spell out the nature of the bots that will be rolled out, he mentioned that they will be "capable of forming an emotional bond with customers."
Furby gets smarter, but it's still pretty damn creepy
Hasbro revived one of the late '90s most iconic toys a few years ago, and now there's another new version. We're talking about Furby of course, and the new Furby Connect has Bluetooth to handle regular updates. The idea is to use the wireless connectivity with a mobile app for Amazon Fire, Android and iOS devices to deliver new content to the interactive playmate on the regular. That new content will come from the likes of Kidz Bop and other age-appropriate publishers.
Boston Dynamics made a robot dog that can do your dishes
While it may not be as heartwarming as Cal Worthington's dog, Spot, Boston Dynamic hopes its newest quadrupedal robot, SpotMini, will find a place in your home. The SpotMini is a smaller version of BD's existing BigDog line of robotic pack animals. It's roughly 55 pounds -- compared to the Alpha Dog's 240 -- and stands about two feet tall. Unlike the larger versions, SpotMini doesn't rely on hydraulics. It's completely electric -- reportedly the quietest Dog that BD has ever built -- and can run for up to 90 minutes between charges.
Loyal robot dog waits for you to walk through the door
WowWee, a smart toy company, has unveiled a robotic dog with blue-green LED eyes. The dog, aptly called CHiP (short for Canine Home Intelligent Pet), sits with the tap of a button, picks up your presence in the room via bluetooth and plays fetch. The sensor-loaded pup comes with a toy-watch looking wristband that allows it to pick up your whereabouts. When you're happy with your "pet's" response, you can press down a thumbs up on the wristband as a sign of approval -- it's the digital equivalent of a belly rub.
Adorable AI-powered robot Musio just wants to be your friend
Everyone complains about not having flying cars yet, but where are our robotic pals? Films like Short Circuit, Big Hero 6 and Wall-E certainly make them seem appealing, though our ever-constant anxiety around Terminator-like robot uprisings is likely holding them back. Musio, the first hardware product from the AI software company AKAStudy, hopes to change the way we view robot companions. Using the company's machine learning and natural language technology, it can have back and forth conversations and even learn from your chats, making it seem more like an attentive friend than a dumb machine. AKA's hoping to raise $50,000 on Indiegogo to get Musio produced -- so far, even without promotion, it's got $16,000 from backers. Musio could be like a smarter physical take on Apple's Siri: It can alert you of emails and events on your calendar, but it can also interact with connected gadgets in your home. Also, if you can look past its cold, dead eyes (which animate to show emotion) it's sort of cute.
The Virtual Menagerie: A look back at our techno pets
Pets are great. But if you're too lazy, busy or overcome with allergies for the real thing, you have a host of digital alternatives. They've found homes on our computers, in addictive little eggs and even housed insemi-realistic representations of actual animals. Their souls may be entirely digital, but that hasn't stopped consumers from coddling and caring for these code-based creatures. Join us as we take a look at some of the digital, virtual and robotic pets that have captured our hearts over the years.
Poochi the robot dog can talk with your 3DS (and play rock-paper-scissors)
You can count on Japan to perpetually push the idea of robot pets -- and some of us are okay with that. Poochi is the latest effort from Sega Toys, and it can interact with with a downloadable app / mini-game on Nintendo's 3DS. This particular robot pet series has been on sale in Japan (and the US) for several years, but this is a notable evolution: the blue and pink pet substitutes communicate with 3DSes wirelessly, translating yips and barks into, well, Japanese. It sings (the way a cartoon robot dog should), and can even play rock-paper-scissors with you if you're feeling particularly lonely. Courtesy of the 3DS connection, there's several more mini-games and even a Nintendogs-ish interaction screen -- which is kind of confusing when the dog's right in front of you in real life. Poochi has sensors on its back, nose and tail, and there's handy color indicators on its face to indicate how it's feeling. The robot (and companion app) launches today, priced at 6,000 yen -- around $58. We've added the (surprisingly intense) TV ad after the break. We're still waiting on an alpha-male version.
Tokyo Toy Show 2014: Robot pets, maglev toys and more!
It's our first year touring Japan's premier toy show, and we'd be happy to do it again. Among traditional wooden blocks, tricycles, action figures and card games (so many card games!) there's a plenty of toys with a suprisingly high level of technology -- like maglev toy trains. Japanese toymakers are continuing to produce robot toys, hoping for either an AIBO-like moment of fame, or at least a hit for the holidays. Several companies were also trying to convince not-quite-teens to get their parents to pay out for (admittedly cheaper) smartphone-like gadgets. One LINE-branded gadget even lets tweens play games, send stickers and messages once it's either within range of a friend's (actual) smartphone or through WiFi -- it uses a low-fi, simpler version of the messaging app. Surprisingly, for a trade show, nearly every product on show here already had a price and a launch date -- at least for this side of the Pacific. Many, many more toys, after the break.
