AIBO
When AIBO units broke and Sony stopped support, Japanese owners held funerals for them.
In one sentence
AIBO is a small robot dog that learns your face, comes when you call, and develops a personality over time — like a real pet.
The wow factor
Three things that make AIBO genuinely impressive.
When Sony stopped supporting it in 2014, Japanese owners held Shinto funerals for broken AIBOs.
AIBO ERS-1000 has OLED eyes that display over 100 different expressions.
The first 3,000 units sold out in 20 minutes in 1999.
How it works
A step-by-step breakdown, in plain English.
- 1Touch, camera, and microphone sensors detect owner interactions.
- 2A neural-network-based personality engine learns what AIBO likes and dislikes.
- 322 axes of motion produce realistic walking, head movement, and tail wagging.
- 4Cloud-connected memory means AIBO remembers your family across years.
- 5A docking station handles charging automatically.
Where you've probably seen it
Featured in films, TV shows, and a famous "AIBO Funeral" ritual at Buddhist temples in Japan. The relaunched ERS-1000 won the Best of Innovation at CES 2018.
The team behind it
AIBO was led by Toshitada Doi at Sony Research, who also led the development of the PlayStation. The first commercial unit shipped in 1999.
The full story
Sony launched the original AIBO in 1999 at ¥250,000. The first 3,000 units sold out in 20 minutes. AIBO uses neural networks and emotion algorithms to develop a unique personality over time. It learns its owner, recognises faces and voice commands, plays with toys, and exhibits moods. Sony relaunched AIBO as the ERS-1000 in 2018 with significantly upgraded hardware — 22 axes of motion, OLED eyes, deep learning, and cloud-connected memory.
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Family tree
The predecessors and successors of AIBO.
- AIBO ERS-110(1999)
- AIBO ERS-210(2001)
- AIBO ERS-7(2003)
- AIBO ERS-1000(2018)
AIBO in 2 minutes
Learn the science behind AIBO
Three Atlas entries that explain how AIBO actually works.
Mind-blowing facts
When Sony discontinued AIBO support in 2014, Japanese owners held Shinto funeral ceremonies for their broken robots.
AIBO ERS-1000 has OLED eyes that display over 100 different expressions.
Sony sold 150,000 AIBOs between 1999 and 2006.