I’m curious to hear user experiences with either generation of Aibo’s. I’m seriously looking at buying one as a toy/“pet”…but $1500?? Yowzers. Most of the reviews that I’ve read are tongue-in-cheek things comparing it to the performance of a dog, a toddler, a remote control car, etc.
I haven’t been able to find a “my experience living with Aibo” website.
I’ve been reading a few Japanese websites written by Aibo owners. It might amuse you to know that there is an active “hack Aibo” group. Someone “disassembled” the machine code and deciphered the internal command code of Aibo, and wrote some programs for Sony Vaio laptops (you need the Vaio’s Memory Stick capability to transfer commands to the Aibo). But still, the best you can do is set up a prestored program that will make the robot do about the same things it already can do, like walk over there, sit up and beg, roll over, etc. Not too exciting if you ask me. But then, these are people who argue vigorously over whether you should be a purist and use the version 1 aibo or the slightly expanded command set in version 2.
Some models of Sony Vaio handheld computers sold in Japan have a “virtual Aibo” program. You can write command sets and a little Aibo in an on screen window will execute the commands. Now you can have a simulation of a simulated dog.
oh… I forgot… Be sure to check out this month’s “AdBusters” magazine, there’s a funny two page spread with an oil painting someone did, it shows an Aibo that ran out in the street in front of a car and got hit.
Can you teach those things to move threads?
Off to IMHO.