Sony’s Aibo robot dogs were designed to be “realistic”, but we have to admit that it can come off a bit creepy as smiling robots tend to be a bit disconcerting. However Sony’s latest Aibo, which was launched in the US last year, was a huge improvement over the first-generation model, but over in Japan Sony is trying their hand at making it more “realistic”.
The company has recently launched a new variation of the Aibo where it has a body painted in various shades of brown, giving the illusion that it looks more like a beagle than a robot. This is only a paint job which means that everything we know about the Aibo in terms of functionality and features remains exactly the same.
For those unfamiliar with the new Aibo, some of its features include the ability to recognize faces and create indoor maps. This means that the dog will be capable of “patrolling” your house while at the same time being capable of recognizing family members and friends. Sony also has plans to eventually open up the robot’s API later this year, which should help developers create more features for it.
There is no word on whether or not the cuter and less creepy beagle-looking Aibo will find its way to the US, but if you don’t mind the current look, like we said it has gone on sale in the US where it will cost $2,900.