The sixth season premiere of the podcast Version History explores the origins, reception, and long-term legacy of Sony's robotic pet. Host David Pierce joins Victoria Song and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to analyze what the company predicted accurately and where its vision for domestic robotics faltered. This discussion inaugurates a broader six-week podcast season dedicated entirely to pet-related technology. The journalists also consider whether automated companions will ever ultimately transform into a genuine worldwide phenomenon.
Key points
Sony originally intended for its mechanical canine to serve as a genuine member of the fa…: Sony originally intended for its mechanical canine to serve as a genuine member of the family.
The machine managed to attain impressive longevity among owners despite never developing…: The machine managed to attain impressive longevity among owners despite never developing into a massive commercial hit.
Industry experts continue to question whether the broader robotic pet concept can ever ev…: Industry experts continue to question whether the broader robotic pet concept can ever evolve into a true global phenomenon.
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In the 1990s, Sony was absolutely convinced that we were on the precipice of a robot takeover. Pretty soon, the company decided, we’d all be living among countless humanoid robots. Some would be our coworkers; others would be our friends; and at least one would be our pet. And “pet” was exactly what Sony was going for when it created the Aibo. It was supposed to be part of the family.
The Sony Aibo was a robot revolution dressed like a dog
On Version History: How a robot dog became a family member, but not exactly a huge hit.
On Version History: How a robot dog became a family member, but not exactly a huge hit.
On this episode of Version History, we go back in time and tell the story of the Aibo. David Pierce is joined by The Verge’s Victoria Song and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and together they discuss the origins of this remarkable robot dog, and its impressive success and longevity. They also try to figure out why Aibo had such an effect on its owners, what…
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