AIBO grew out of Sony's Computer Science Laboratory (CSL). Founded in 1990, CSL was set up to emulate the famed innovation center at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). CSL's first product was the Aperios operating system, later to form the base software AIBO's. When Nobuyuki Idei became president of Sony in 1995, he sought to adopt a digital agenda, reflected in the new motto he gave the company, “Digital Dream Kids,” and the prominence he gave to CSL.[8]

Two AIBO Prototypes and transparent ERS-7
Famed engineer Dr. Toshitada Doi is credited as AIBO’s original progenitor: in 1994 he had started work on robots with artificial intelligence expert Masahiro Fujita within CSL. Fujita would write that the robot's behaviors will need to “be sufficiently complex or unexpected so that people keep an interest in watching or taking care of it”.[9] Fujita argued that entertainment robots might be viable as "A robot for entertainment can be effectively designed using various state-of-the-art technologies, such as speech recognition and vision, even though these technologies may not be mature enough for applications where they perform a critical function. While there exists special and difficult requirements in entertainment applications themselves, limited capabilities in the speech and vision systems may turn out to be an interesting and attractive feature for appropriately designed entertainment robots." His early monkey-like prototype "MUTANT" included behaviors that would become part of AIBOs including tracking a yellow ball, shaking hands, karate strikes and sleeping. Fujita would later receive the IEEE Inaba Technical Award for Innovation Leading to Production for "AIBO, the world's first mass-market consumer robot for entertainment applications".[10]
In 1997 Doi received backing from Idei to form Sony’s Digital Creatures Lab.[11] Believing that robots would be commonplace in households by 2010, but aware of the shortcomings of available technology for functional uses, he decided to focus on robots for entertainment.
Almost ten years later, Idei's successor, Howard Stringer closed down AIBO and other robotic projects. Doi then staged a mock funeral, attended by more than 100 colleagues from Sony. At the funeral, Doi said that the Aibo was a symbol of a risk-taking spirit at Sony that was now dead.[12]
Design[edit]

A friend of Doi's, the erotic artist Hajime Sorayama, was enlisted to create the initial designs for the AIBO's body.[11] Those designs are now part of the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art[13] and the Smithsonian Institution. The first generation AIBO design won Japan's prestigious "Good Design Award, Grand Prize"[14] and a special Intelligent Design award in the 2000 German Red Dot awards.[15]
Later models of AIBOs were designed jointly with prestigious Japanese designers, and continued to gain design awards. The ERS-210 design was inspired by lion cubs. The bodies of the "ERS-3x" series (Latte and Macaron, the round-headed AIBOs released in 2001) were designed by visual artist Katsura Moshino winning the "Good Design Award"[16] The sleek and futuristic, space-exploration inspired body of the "ERS-220" was designed by Shoji Kawamori.[17] winning the "Good Design Award"[18] and a "Design for Asia" award.[19] The ERS-7 Also won a "Good Design Award".[20]
Models[edit]

Prototypes[edit]

AIBO Prototype. A transparent shelled final-version AIBO is visible in the background.
Several prototypes have been displayed by Sony. Early models were insect-like with six legs. MUTANT is described in "development of an Autonomous Quadraped Robot". The specifications of the 1998 prototype, described in a Sony Press release, closely match those of the first generation AIBOs. Differences include the use of PC-Cards for memory (rather than MemoryStick media), the use of two batteries, and the option to use a 2-wheeled "rolling module" in place of legs.[21]
First generation models[edit]

Second generation ERS-210 (left) and first generation ERS-111 (right) AIBOs
Estimated sales for all first generation models: 65,000
ERS-110[edit]
The first commercial AIBO. With a beagle-like appearance. silver; began sales 1 June 1999 for delivery in August; limited production of 3,000 for Japan and 2,000 for the USA. Available on the internet and sold out in just 20 minutes after launch. Good Design Award Grand Prize. Price 250 000 yen (excluding tax).
ERS-111[edit]
Improved version of the original AIBO, initially released in November 1999 as a limited edition model.
All 3,000 units of the Japanese allocation were snapped up within 17 seconds of launch.[8]
Second generation models[edit]
Estimated sales for all second generation models: 60,000
ERS-210[edit]

AIBO ERS-210
Lion-cub styling. Original design illustrator up from ERS-110 ERS-210 based on the deserted due to. Speech recognition capabilities. black, silver, gold, red, blue, green, white (3 hues), champagne, etc.; 2001 (Ears not included) 28.1 cm height, 1.5 kg weight, 1.5 hours continuous operation time, 20 degrees of freedom (drive unit), price 150 000 yen (excluding tax). Option of IEEE802.11b wireless LAN remote control is possible by a built-in card is used, which is one of the AIBO-ware "AIBO Navigator 2". You can also add a self-charging function to walk on their own charger when charging is about to expire due to "AIBO Polytechnic us" software option. This feature is Hitoshi Matsumoto by ideas.
ERS-300 (Latte and Macaron)[edit]

ERS-311
"AIBO's heart" slogan. Kumainu motif. Original production design illustrator Katsura Moshino . By putting the software called AIBO-ware, AIBO become a different character as "macaroons" naughty "and latte type of" unfussy. Height 28 cm, 1.5 kg weight, 2.5 hours continuous operation, 15 degrees of freedom (drive unit), price 98 000 yen (excluding tax).
ERS-311 "Latte"[edit]
Cream; 2001. Low-end model of the ERS-300. Puppy dog face .
ERS-312 "Macaron"[edit]
Black; 2001
ERS-311B/312B, ERS-311B / X[edit]
Bluetooth communication enabled. Can communicate with "AIBO Handy Viewer".
ERS-220[edit]
Silver. Headlights and LED near future-oriented design with. Design based on the concept of space exploration robot by Shoji Kawamori. Remote operation is possible by using the optional Wireless LAN card as well as the ERS-210 "AIBO Navigator 2". Height 29.6 cm, 1.5 kg weight, 1.5 hours continuous operation time, 16 degrees of freedom (drive unit), price 180 000 yen (excluding tax)
ERS-210A/220A[edit]
Variants of ERS-210/220. Difficult to distinguish the appearance but with improved CPU. Displays affixed logo sticker "Super Core" at the bottom of the body. US$1299 at launch.
Third Generation models[edit]
Estimated sales for all third generation models: 40,000 to 50,000
ERS-7[edit]

Third Generation AIBO ERS-7 playing with children
November 2003 This AIBO is regarded as the culmination of the series. The first to be explicitly a "robot dog".[3] Available in white. Packaged with MIND. US$1,599 at launch.
ERS-7M2[edit]
November 2004 A variant of the ERS-7, packaged with MIND2. Available in black or white.
ERS-7M3[edit]
October 2005 A variant of the ERS-7M2, packaged with MIND3. Changed Wi-Fi. White, black, and champagne gold (called honey brown in Japan). The final model.
QRIO[edit]

QRIOs watch AIBOs at a Robocup event
The humanoid QRIO robot was designed as the successor to AIBO, and runs the same base R-CODE and Aperios operating system.
Hardware[edit]

AIBO ERS-7 with exposed internal circuitry
The initial ERS-110 AIBO's hardware includes a 64-bit RISC processor, 16 megabytes of RAM, sensors (touch, camera, range-finder, microphone, acceleration, angular velocity), a speaker and actuators (legs, neck, mouth, tail).[22] As the series developed, more sensors and actuators were added. Wi-Fi was available as an add on for some second-generation AIBOs. The third and final family of AIBOs, the ERS-7s, have multiple head and body sensors, clicking ear actuators, a chest-mounted proximity sensor, expressive "Illume-Face" and Wi-Fi.
All AIBOs were bundled with accessories including a charging station and pink ball toy. Late model ERS7's were bundled with a pink AIBone bone-shaped toy, playing cards and a charging station with pole and marker mat for autonomous docking.
MUTANT Prototype 1998 Prototype ERS-110[22] ERS-7[23]
Processor IDT R3052 or R3071 ×2 @ 30 MHz MIPS 64 Bit RISC Processor 64-bit RISC processor @ 50 MHz MIPS R7000 @ 576 MHz
RAM 8MB 8MB 16MB 64MB
Flash Memory 2MB 4MB
Moving Parts 16 degrees of freedom 4 legs with 3 degrees-of-freedom, 1 Head with 3 degrees-of-freedom, 1 Tail with 1 degree-of-freedom Mouth: 1 degree-of-freedom, Head: 3 degrees-of-freedom, Legs: 3 degrees-of-freedom (x 4), Tail: 2 degrees-of-freedom Mouth - 1 degree of freedom, Head - 3 degrees of freedom, Leg - 3 degrees of freedom x 4 legs, Ear - 1 degree of freedom x 2, Tail - 2 degrees of freedom
Touch Sensors One on head, one on each paw One on head, one on each paw Electric Static Sensor (head, back)
Pressure Sensor (chin, paws (4))
Camera 362 × 492 CCD camera 180,000 pixels 180,000 pixel color CCD camera (x 1) CMOS Image Sensor 350,000 pixels
Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11b (Integrated)
Range Finders Infra-red One on head, one on body
Display LED Lamps for expressing happiness (green) and anger (red) Illume Face capable of over 60 emotional and status modes, consisting of 24 LEDs (white 12, red 4, blue 4, green 4), Ear : 2 (left & right), Head sensor : 2 (white and amber), Head (wireless LAN on/off) : 1(blue), Back sensor : 16 (white 8, red 3, blue 3, orange 2)
Microphone Stereo microphone Stereo microphone Stereo microphone (one on each side) Stereo microphone (one on each side)
Speaker Yes Yes Yes Miniature Speaker, 20.8mm、500 mW
Heat Sensor Two Yes
Acceleration Sensor Yes Yes Yes
Angular Velocity Sensor Yes
Vibration Sensor Yes
Power Source Li-ion (7.2V) for electric circuits Ni-Cd (4.8) for motor drivers One 7.2V Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery, One 4.8V Rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium Battery DC7.2V (Lithium Ion Battery [ERA-110B])
Energy Consumption 12.6W (autonomous mode) Approx. 7W (Standard operation in autonomous mode)
Operating Time Approx. 1.5 hours (using fully charged battery) Approx. 1.5 Hours (Standard operation in autonomous mode)
Charging Time Approx. 2.5 Hours
Dimensions (l x w x h) 220 × 130 × 200[mm] 132 X 250 X 235mm (Width X Height X Length, not including tail) Approx. 274 x 156 x 266mm (not including tail) 319 (D) x 180 (W) x 278 (H) mm
Weight 1.5[Kg] (including batteries) 1.25 kg (including batteries) About 1.4 kg (Body Only), About 1.6 kg (Including Memory Stick and Battery) Approx. 1.65 kg (including battery & memory stick)