Latest firmware lets Sony’s robot dog Aibo ‘patrol’ through home

Sony has released a first major software update for its robot dog Aibo. The digital pet can now tell apart up to ten people, map the home and ‘guard’ spaces via the new Patrol function.

The new possibilities of Aibo rely heavily on the ingrained facial recognition of the robot. Via the My Aibo app, the owner can now capture up to ten ‘Persons of Interest’, such as roommates and friends or relatives who often come over. When Aibo detects one of these people, the robot dog will greet him or her with a ‘new move’.

After the update, Aibo is also able to determine its position in the house and to map the entire house via the camera on the back. The more time the robot dog spends in the house, the more detailed the maps become. After a while, the animal should know exactly where all the doors, furniture and other obstacles are.

Once Aibo has explored the house sufficiently, he can be sent on ‘patrol’ via the new Patrol function. However, really guarding the house and deterring burglars are not yet in it, reports news site Cnet. The function must above all ensure that Aibo will behave more like a real dog, which moves through the house on its own in search of a familiar face. In the evening, the owner can request an overview of what Aibo has discovered and experienced that day via the app.

Also new after the firmware update is that Aibo ‘feels’ when his tail is touched and that the robot dog, when he ‘rests’, takes a more natural position. Furthermore, the photo quality of the camera has also been improved. Currently, the digital four-legged friend from Sony is only for sale in Japan and America.