Overview

The aibo ERS-1000 from Sony was introduced in 2018 and continues the legacy of the AIBO from 1999, the first entertainment robot ever sold in series production. Until the first generation was discontinued in 2006, over 150,000 units were built. In June 2026, Sony discontinued sales in Japan, though sales in the USA continue, with support and cloud services remaining available. The aibo was never officially sold in Europe.

Design

At 30.5 centimeters long, 29.3 centimeters high, and 2.2 kilograms, the aibo is a compact device, not a working robot. It features 22 degrees of freedom, distributed across three in the head, one in the mouth, one in the neck, one in the hip, three per leg, one per ear, and two in the tail. The shell is cream-white and high-gloss, with proportions deliberately reminiscent of a puppy. Two OLED displays with animated pupils serve as eyes.

Technology and AI

Computation is handled by a 64-bit quad-core CPU. It includes two cameras, one at the nose tip and one for mapping, four microphones, one speaker, a time-of-flight sensor, two distance sensors, a light sensor, a motion sensor, and capacitive touch sensors on the head, chin, and back, plus four paw pads and two six-axis inertial measurement units. It connects via LTE and WLAN. Power consumption is around fourteen watts, and the battery lasts approximately two hours.

Market Significance

At around 2899 US dollars including a three-year cloud subscription, the aibo is not cheap, but it is the only device in its category that has ever functioned as a mass-market product for private households. With it, Sony answered a question that is becoming relevant again today: what a robot in the living room should actually do when it doesn't work.