微米 puts the bark in Aibo

Aibo the robot dog can shake your hand. Aibo the robot dog can play dead. Aibo the robot dog knows its name, 可以卖到, wag its tail, chirp happily when you pet it, 并执行许多其他类似狗的任务，机器人可以通过编程来执行这些任务.

That’s amusing. 但Aibo的制造商索尼(Sony)给它设定的程序远不止这些. 像一只真正的狗一样，Aibo可以感知和导航周围的环境. Aibo会通过语音信号来判断你是高兴还是不高兴. 多亏了由数据和美光存储器驱动的人工智能, Aibo实际上从互动中学习，并随着时间的推移调整自己的行为, 发展出与世界上所有其他aibo不同的个性.

Aibo在日语中的意思是“同伴”，它努力了解你，让你心情轻松，成为你的好伙伴. In other words, Aibo strives to be a real pet. Considering Aibo has developed a devoted owner group in Japan and a growing set of enthusiasts in the U.S., perhaps Aibo is succeeding.

一些业主独自生活，享受Aibo提供的陪伴, said the creator of Aibo, 索尼高级副总裁，负责人工智能机器人业务, Izumi Kawanishi. But Aibo isn’t just a friend for the lonely. 有些家庭有孩子和其他宠物，他们欢迎Aibo进入他们的家中.

“人们喜欢Aibo的造型，它的设计非常可爱. That is always the first impression,” Kawanishi said. “但他们变得更感兴趣，因为Aibo是一个机器人，他是一个正在成长的机器人. That becomes very fun and interesting. That is why people love Aibo.”

Building a “good boy”

Real dogs are not static. 主人不会喜欢一个连狗的动作都模仿不了的狗机器人. 为此，Aibo在22个轴上移动，你可以选择它(或她)!)，当你抚摸它装有传感器的头部和背部时，它会用鼻子蹭你的手, or roll over and get back up, or approach and lay down on its charger pad, or stretch after waking up.

Nobody will confuse Aibo for a real dog. 然而, for one owner interviewed by CNET — who owns 28 Aibos, 从1999年发布的第一版开始，Aibo的动作就很有说服力.

“His expressions, his fluidity of motion, 他让我相信他爱我的能力让我也爱他,他说.

Aibo的嘴里有一个可以拍照的相机, 尾巴上还有一个摄像头，可以感知周围的环境, enabling the dog to navigate around objects. 随着时间的推移, Aibo更好地了解了它的家的尺寸，在穿越空间方面变得更加复杂.

Aibo的眼睛是屏幕，它会闪烁、变窄，或者给Aibo逼真的表情. 使Aibo“个人成长”的人工智能由64位四核CPU和4gb的美光低功耗DDR4内存驱动. 人工智能依赖于来自传感器的持续数据流和存储的过去经验来告知反应和做出决定. 内存是在Aibo内部和云端存储和移动数据的东西. All of Aibo’s data — for navigating, adapting to voices and commands, learning owner preferences, taking photos through its mouth camera, 以及其他一切——通过4G LTE和Wi-Fi传输转移到云端. 5G网络功能的出现和整合将进一步扩展Aibo的技能和个性, Kawanishi said.

Aibo is real (enough)

YouTube上满是被Aibo逗乐的人. 不需要专家也能看出其中的原因. Aibo lives to elicit responses from people. 无论是在被拍打和抓伤时表现出爱意, retrieving its special bone on command, 当人类表现出兴奋或做许多Aibo可以做的事情时，它会轻声地吠叫, the robot seeks to create a two-way relationship.

That relationship is real, said James Young, 人类互动实验室的创始人，也是加拿大马尼托巴大学的副教授.

“Robots like Aibo do form a connection with people, 但要确切知道原因有点困难……”Young告诉CNET. “As soon as you are collocating with this robot, you are sharing your space, 它似乎对你有一种额外的力量让你做出反应.”

Children are especially charmed by Aibo. At least some real dogs are uncertain 不过有报道称，一旦狗狗们生活在一起，它们就会适应Aibo.

But humans aren’t dogs. 杨说:“我们似乎天生就会相信逼真的机器人。.

“当它移动时，你大脑的一个非常低的部分会启动并告诉你，‘它是活的. It’s living,’” Young said. “When (Aibo) uses emotion, 一个非常早期的处理阶段在我们的大脑中启动，并识别情绪, 也许在更高层次的认知开始之前，它会告诉你, ‘It’s just a robot.’”

Therapeutic benefits beyond “cute”

Therein lies Aibo’s potential.

Animals make us happy. All kinds of animals, including dogs, 猫, rabbits and horses, 在各种情况下都有作为治疗助手的良好记录. According to the 梅奥诊所, animal therapy can reduce pain, 焦虑, 抑郁症和疲劳的病人接受治疗的无数条件, including cancer, post-traumatic stress and dementia. 动物甚至可以帮助孩子们在接受可怕的牙科手术时保持冷静.

Animal therapy isn’t quackery. Animals make humans feel better. 如果人类对Aibo有反应，也许Aibo也能让我们感觉更好.

Aibo不是一款医疗设备，索尼也没有将Aibo作为灵丹妙药进行营销. 然而, Kawanishi说Aibo已经被非正式地用于医院和辅助生活中心, and at the minimum, it’s helping to brighten patients’ days.

他说:“一些医生正试图在医院里使用Aibo，尤其是对小孩子。. “Patients can’t keep a living dog in the hospital. But Aibo is a robot, and he can bring a good feeling.”

治疗用途可能是Aibo潜力的冰山一角. 有多少人住在对真狗来说太小的公寓里? 有多少人喜欢狗，但由于过敏而不能养狗? How many elderly people are isolated and lonely? In a world of nearly eight billion people, how many of us, feeling more alone than ever, could simply use a friend?