aibo
Entertainment Robot (2018)
The evolved autonomous entertainment robot "aibo". Designed with the theme of "a sense of life," the new aibo is Sony’s answer to the question of what a robot living with humans should look like. We sought to create a design that inspires an urge to pick up and cuddle the robot by seamlessly connecting organic curves to create a rounded form. We also used OLEDs and a pupil-like lens structure for aibo’s eyes to enable blinking, pupil dilation and constriction, and other eye movements and responses that express curiosity and emotions. The joints incorporate 22-axis drive actuators to reproduce emotional expressions like tilting the head and wagging the tail, as well as dynamic movements like scratching the neck with a hind leg and perking up the ears. Since we wanted to leave room for imagination, aibo was not modeled after any particular breed of dog. Instead, it was designed by combining the images of various puppies.
Using recycled plastic bottle materials, we created a package that gently holds and protects the robot.
