Technology
I
Sony’s Robotic Pup is the Friend
We Didn’t Know We Needed
f we have learned anything
from watching YouTube
videos of cats and dogs
doing funny things, it is
that pets enrich our quality
of life with their companionship. They
amuse us, keep us company and are
always there to engage with us anytime
we need them. In some cases - such
as with emotional support dogs - pet
companions can also provide health
and mood enhancing benefits. This
phenomenon might be more important
than we realize.
The U.S. Health Resources and Services
Administration reports that Americans
are experiencing a “loneliness epidemic.”
In research conducted by the National
Institute for Health Care Management, 43
percent of seniors surveyed - and one in
five people surveyed overall - reported
feeling lonely on a regular basis.
Even so, many people find that pet
ownership is simply not an option.
Allergies, challenging care requirements
and cost of ownership can all be
limiting factors. Others may find that
pet ownership simply does not fit their
lifestyle.
The good news is that technology is
offering aspiring pet owners new hope
to fill the companionship gap. Sony has
created a robotic puppy called “aibo”
that performs tricks, communicates with
its owners and never needs to be fed or
34 GBSAN.COM | JULY 2019
aibo
walked. aibo integrates artificial intelligence combined with a wide range of built-in
sensors that can detect and analyze sounds and images. The sensors enable aibo
to see and recognize people’s faces and hear voice commands. More impressively,
aibo reacts to all of these stimuli, just like a real puppy.
The robotic design is also remarkable. aibo shows love for its owners through lifelike
expressions and a dynamic array of movements. Its body language is expressed
through a combination of eye, ear and tail movements, as well as different voice