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Sony Reportedly Announcing New Robot Dog Next Month (wsj.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the pet-project dept.

Zorro shares a report from The Wall Street Journal (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source): Sony Corp. is planning next spring to roll out a dog-shaped pet robot similar to its discontinued Aibo with updated components that could allow it to control home appliances, people familiar with the matter said. Sony is preparing for a media event in November to show off the product, the people said. It is unclear whether the new product will use the Aibo name and how much it will cost. Sony Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai said last year at a strategy briefing that the company was developing "a robot capable of forming an emotional bond with customers, and able to grow to inspire love and affection." He told The Wall Street Journal at the time that the company might make an Aibo-like dog robot. The Nikkei newspaper reported earlier this month that Sony was targeting spring 2018 for the release of a home robot.

45 comments

  1. Hoping for just one thing by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    Please tell me this is a cross promotion with Battlestar Galactica to bring us a real robot daggit.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Hoping for just one thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      TIL Atreyu from NES was Boxey from BSG.

    2. Re:Hoping for just one thing by SomeoneFromBelgium · · Score: 1

      I just hope that it won't start to smell when you get it wet...

  2. Soviet Russia that headline, please . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

    Robot Dog Reportedly Announcing New Sony Next Month

    Given how deep Sony has fallen in the past years . . . maybe a Robot Dog as the new CEO of Sony might not be such a bad idea . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    1. Re:Soviet Russia that headline, please . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In soviet japan cock sucks you.

    2. Re:Soviet Russia that headline, please . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Korea, only old people suck dogs' cocks.

    3. Re:Soviet Russia that headline, please . . . by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Don't even think of searching for "japan cock sucks you", I'm pretty sure there's very disturbing mangas depicting just that.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
  3. Awww hes so cute by coolmoe2 · · Score: 1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Now give me that with voice commands and we are good.

  4. Sony needs to develop something else first. by dmomo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Trust. No way would I let this walking root kit into my home.

    1. Re:Sony needs to develop something else first. by arth1 · · Score: 3

      But why not? It will have a microphone, camera, likely IR to work as a remote control, be autonomous, have internet access - what could possibly go wrong?

    2. Re:Sony needs to develop something else first. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You'll end up with a Russian mail order robot dog bride living in your house?

    3. Re:Sony needs to develop something else first. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      || "what could possibly go wrong?" ...possiblie. FTFY : )

    4. Re:Sony needs to develop something else first. by SomeoneFromBelgium · · Score: 1

      Just like ... Apple's iPhone X??

  5. ROBO PUPPY MISTREATMENT ALERT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Too many caps for the filter. Bah!

  6. Wait a sec - brilliant idea for Alexa! by SuperKendall · · Score: 5, Funny

    As long as we are talking about robot dogs, what about an Amazon Alexa robot dog!

    People are already used to talking dogs thanks to cartoons, so jut make the Alexa dog voice a bit Goofier (TM).

    People are also used to teaching dogs commands via simple words which also meshes great with Alexa's limited vocab.

    Lastly it would mean " 'Lexa " the puppy would be able to wander around and see what you are low on to order more... or perhaps even playfully chew something up so you'd have to order another!

    I can see it so clearly now, this is the path Alexa must go....

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Wait a sec - brilliant idea for Alexa! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Spoken like someone who has spent more time around robot assistants than dogs. . .

    2. Re:Wait a sec - brilliant idea for Alexa! by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      The point is not so much that it is a dog (though from dog sitting various puppies there is no way a robot dog could be more destructive via the power of Chew), the point is a mobile Alexa rather than a box that always sits in one place and can only see or hear with a fixed point of view.

      If you are already OK with Alexa listening and/or watching you, then it's a small step from there to begin OK with it roaming. In fact it's really better as you could tell Alexa to ignore you for a few hours and have it go away from you.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    3. Re:Wait a sec - brilliant idea for Alexa! by antdude · · Score: 1

      Same for Google, MS, etc. They all should have dogs! ;P

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  7. Not as dumb as it sounds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A lot of people still feel dumb speaking to their "digital assistants", or feel the need to sn1gger* and scoff at others who do. Giving a digital assistant some character and personality, could make talking to it seem like a more natural thing to do. That's where a robot pet could come in.

    * "Lameness filter encountered" because of a word that means "a smothered or half-suppressed laugh". You know what's lame? Slashdot's lameness filter.

  8. Cusomers DEMANDED this? by freeze128 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "You know what I really want? I *REALLY* want my current biological dog to control my appliances." said no one ever.

    1. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 2

      Cusomers DEMANDED this?

      This is actually a result of Japan's very interesting labor laws. Basically, when you hire somebody in Japan, it's a lifelong hire. This means that in a place like Sony, when a project ends and there is nothing in the pipeline that needs additional work that they can't just layoff their workers. Instead, the workers either sit around and do nothing or quit. So when you get a bunch of smart people sitting around, they come up with interesting ideas that could make some profit and they become non-priority company projects. I'm certain AIBO is one of those things.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    2. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I suspect it's an in-joke for Sony considering how they view customers - Sony is the DAWG and you are their bitch.
      I have not, and likely will not, forgive them for what they did to my PS3.

    3. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Return self::isGoodBoy()

    4. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's probably more to do with their large aging population. Robot assistant technology is a big deal there.

    5. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by BoogieChile · · Score: 1

      You don't want a dog that can bring you a beer and also remembers to close the fridge after itself?

    6. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, out here in the East Bay, we have a lot of wild turkeys. A robot dog, that would get me a beer and then go chase the turkeys around and video it would just about be worth the price for me. Maybe add some overhead footage from the Snap drone. I'm liking this more and more.

    7. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by arth1 · · Score: 1

      You don't want a dog that can bring you a beer and also remembers to close the fridge after itself?

      Trust me, you do not want a dog that can open fridge doors.

    8. Re:Cusomers DEMANDED this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Hello, I'm Rags. Woof! Woof-woof! Hello, I'm Rags. Woof! Woof-woof!"

  9. I wouldn't want a SONY one, but... by rthille · · Score: 1

    Please Please Please someone make a 'rat thing' I can buy. Thanks.
    http://villains.wikia.com/wiki...

    --
    Awesome furniture, accessories and cabinetry in Santa Rosa, CA: http://humanity-home.com/
    1. Re:I wouldn't want a SONY one, but... by Zorro · · Score: 1

      Only if it has a Stainless Steel finish.

  10. hoping for Marvin... by kiviQr · · Score: 1

    I hope there is a Marvin or at least TARS with humor set at ninety-five percent mode.

    1. Re:hoping for Marvin... by Zorro · · Score: 1

      K9 please.

  11. Sensible move by Sony by Guillermito · · Score: 1

    Every other company is trying to jump on the AI assistant bandwagon. So it's clever for Sony to try to differentiate themselves and implement their assistant in the form of a robot and not some sort of air freshener, specially when they can leverage their experience with the previous AIBO models. Of course, we would have to wait to see how well implemented this is, but as a concept it sure makes sense for Sony to develop this product.

    1. Re:Sensible move by Sony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just strap a google home mini to the last AIBO that was released. Miles of improvement with minimal R&D

    2. Re:Sensible move by Sony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Strapping one useless object to another useless object doesn't count as "improvement" unless you're talking about an improvement in mass.

    3. Re:Sensible move by Sony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It would be an improvement to the part of the population who would have actually bought an AIBO to begin with back in the 90's. I was a useless rich persons gimmick back then, at least it could talk to you now.

  12. Rats been done by aberglas · · Score: 1

    A toy for cats to chase. Google it.

  13. Emotional detachment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good luck with the family emotional attachment, when the device is 3+ years old, been hacked and no more firmware updates are available from Sony. "Sorry kids, Fido is now a spambot. Say Good bye"

  14. why dog? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They would sell better if they were hedgehogs and named "sony the hedgehog".

  15. old vs new by sad_ · · Score: 1

    the old aibo was a autonomous robot dog, it didn't need to internet to do it's tricks.
    you can bet all your money this new dog does, need an always on internet connection, will be hacked because of flaky security, servers will shut down in 5 years, but that doesn't matter because you sony stopped with updates anyway.
    in the meantime aibo v1 still hops along.

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
  16. Vs. a real dog by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it doesn't go berserk and try to kill me every time I go in by back yard, maybe I'll buy my neighbor one.

  17. Precursor by HideyoshiJP · · Score: 1

    I hope it's just the precursor to the Sony robot woman.