Sony has launched the "Aibo Foster Parent" program for its $2,900 robot dogs, allowing owners whose basic plans have been canceled to donate them. The company will then refurbish the Aibos as necessary and donate them to medical facilities, foster homes and other organizations. The aim is to "make Aibo more sustainable," the company said, by giving the units a second home where they can provide emotional support and more. The Aibo robot dogs in question are the newer 2019 ERS-1000 units still being sold, which are a reboot of its "entertainment" robotic dogs from the late 1990s. It's not exactly a fully charitable project, as Sony will charge "foster parents" an unnamed fee for service. It also notes that depending on condition, some donated units may serve strictly as parts for other Aibo robots.

Sony's Aibo robot dog is a technological marvel that is built to be a human companion, but will our own psychology allow us to accept these robo-analogs? Buzz60's Tony Spitz has the details. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Sony's Aibo robot dog is a technological marvel that is built to be a human companion, but will our own psychology allow us to accept these robo-analogs?

Sony Corp. plans to start selling its revamped Aibo robot dog in the United States from September following its domestic revival in January. Sony, which regards the new Aibo as symbolizing the revival of its innovative spirit, aims to use the product to raise its presence in overseas markets. The original Aibo was launched in 1999 and terminated in 2006. Improved with advanced artificial intelligence and communications functions, the second-generation Aibo develops a unique character depending on how its owners interact with it. The U.S. version only recognizes English and will be priced at $2,899, including a three-year data fee.

This past November, Sony announced that it was reviving its robot dog Aibo. The iconic robotic pet, introduced in 1999, won a lot of fans all over the world but had been discontinued for over a decade. The company said the new Aibo, with more advanced mechatronics and AI, would be available for purchase early this year, but only in Japan. Now Sony is announcing that, after selling 20,000 new Aibos to Japanese consumers, it is making the robot canine available also in the United States. At an event at its U.S. headquarters in New York City, the company said it will be offering a "limited first litter edition" bundle starting next month, with expected delivery before the holidays.

The Japanese tech giant said Thursday a special'First Litter Edition' will go on sale in September and packs more smarts than previous iterations, like the ability to learn custom tricks, map and navigate a room with ease and learn up to 100 faces. It all comes at a hefty cost, however, with a price tag of $2,899 for a bundle that includes Aibo, a charging station, paw pads, a pink ball, an'aibone' and three years of access to the Aibo cloud app. The tech giant said a special'First Litter Edition' will go on sale in September for the hefty price tag of $2,899 Aibo is billed as a pet that behaves like a puppy using artificial intelligence (AI) to learn and interact with its owner and surroundings. The reborn Aibo features new actuator technology allowing it move more smoothly and naturally like a real dog. With sensing and AI technologies, Aibo can run toward its owner and detect smiles and words of praise, and can remember what actions please the owner.

Sony Corp. started accepting advance orders Thursday in Japan for its new artificial intelligence-equipped Aibo robot dog, making it possible for every would-be buyer to own the electric pet amid greater-than-expected demand. In January when Sony released an upgraded version of AIBO -- its predecessor debuted in 1999 and was discontinued in 2006 -- sales of the new model were limited by production capacity and consumers could only obtain one on a first-come-first-served basis or by lottery. Shortly after a Sony store opened Thursday in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, there were about 10 people lined up for the canine robot. "I feel unsure if I can take care of a real dog any more at this age," explained Yoichi Iijima, 70, on why he decided to buy one. "I'm looking forward to having a new companion to talk with."

Many of us grew up watching the incredible potential of robots in movies and television. Robots showed us the brightest of the future. However, we haven't really seen the true potential of robotic technology being unleashed. While the popular TV cartoon show, Jetsons from the 60's showed us the infinite possibilities of humans and robots co-existing, movies like the Terminator or Wall-E scared us by showing the prospective dark side of Artificial Intelligence and technology. But the age where robots finally coexist with human beings is not really far.

Sony Corp's entertainment robot "aibo" is pictured at its demonstration in Tokyo, Japan November 1, 2017. Sony's robotic pet is proving popular with dog-loving tech fans … or is that tech-loving dog fans? The latest version of Aibo launched in Japan in January, with the electronics company this week revealing the highly specific sales figure for the device -- 11,111 units -- for the first three months of this year. Aibo is currently only available in Japan, though Sony says it's considering taking it to the American and Chinese markets, too. It hopes the device can act as a companion for people who might not have the time or means to care for a real dog.

Sales of Sony Corp.'s new artificial intelligence-equipped Aibo robot dog are off to a solid start in Japan, with the electronics giant saying that 11,111 units were sold in the three months since its release in January. Sony said Monday that the new Aibo -- an upgrade of the version launched in 1999 and discontinued in 2006 -- is seeing greater than expected demand, prompting the company to consider boosting output. Sony sold a total of 150,000 of the previous models. The Aibo uses two cameras -- one embedded in its nose and the other above its tail -- and a range of sensors to discern its owner and the environment, expressing itself through body language, barking and its large digital eyes. It carries a price tag of ¥198,000, excluding tax, plus ¥90,000 for a required three-year cloud subscription service.