A few years ago, Sony launched the AIBO robotic dog which cost a small fortune, but if you’re looking for something somewhat similar at a much more affordable price, then perhaps this Smartpet robotic dog might do the trick. The robot will be borrowing the user’s iPhone not only to double up as its face (which apparently comes with over 100 different facial animations), but will utilize the iPhone 4/4S’ front-facing camera to recognize different gestures.
The accompanying app is also said to be able to “teach” the robot to recognize your face and voice and will be used to control the robot’s movement. While not as advanced compared to AIBO, it certain is pretty cute thanks to the variety of sounds and facial expressions that it can make. While there’s no word if the Smartpet robotic dog will be making its way stateside or the rest of the world, it is expected to go on sale in Japan come 24th of April for around $80.
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