Latest trick for Sony's Aibo robotic pooch: Acting as watchdog

Sony Corp. on Wednesday showed off the latest tricks of its signature robotic dog, Aibo, including a new security capability of patrolling inside a house. Teaming up with security company Secom Co. Ltd., the Japanese electronics giant will roll out the new roaming security feature for free in a system software update scheduled for mid-February. Specifically, up to 10 names and faces can be registered on the My Aibo app, and the user's Aibo can then be programmed to walk around predetermined areas in a home or other structure at designated times to check whether any of the registered individuals are present. The user will subsequently receive a report from the Aibo. The patrolling task is the first feature that showcases the Aibo's ability to remember and recognize spaces, said Izumi Kawanishi, Sony's senior vice president in charge of the artificial intelligence robotics business.