Sony Aibo ERS-220 Robotic Pet
Yes, the Aibo line of robotic pets was a weird product line for a company known for TVs and cassette players, but Aibo also represented one of the most ambitious attempts to deliver consumers the robotic sidekicks promised by science fiction. The Aibo robots were made of plastic and noisy motors and servos, but were designed to look like adorable puppies which helped make them more engaging, to the point where Japanese owners actually held funerals for the bots when they stopped working and were no longer repairable.
Except for the Sony Aibo ERS-220, which the Sony website describes as a “futuristic robo-dog.” If RoboCop had had a K-9 sidekick while out on patrol, it would have looked like the ERS-220. With red and blue LEDs all over its head (the red LEDs glowed when the ERs-220 was angry—yikes!) and a pop-up spotlight, this Aibo looked more suited for war than as part of your family.
