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3rd Generation Of Sony’s Entertainment Robot Evolves With More Skills, Functions And Connectivity
New AIBO ERS-7 Is Your Companion With The Right Connections
Paris, 4 September 2003 – Sony’s lovable companion, AIBO, is entering a new phase in its evolution w ith the birth of the ERS-7. A quantum leap in technology has taken AIBO’s companionship abilities to new heights. Becoming more entertaining than ever, A IBO also boasts enhanced communication skills and new levels of functionality. For the first time, the onboard memory enables the new AIBO to retain the personality that it w ill develop over its
lifecycle. A cool new design has refined its cute looks and a r icher LED display on its face, know n as ‘Illume-Face’, lets the new AIBO express a w ider variety of emotions. It is also the most connected AIBO yet, presenting built-in Wireless LAN connectivity and a larger 32MB Memory Stick. Thanks to this, the ow ner can interact w ith the AIBO at a distance using a PC or a mobile device.
“AIBO is evolving from a source of fascination and entertainment into a more functional, endearing companion,” says Nicolas Babin, Director of Sony Entertainment Robot Europe. “The ERS-7 is a fantastic step forward for the AIBO concept, aiming to facilitate interaction betw een humans and robots. It opens up a w orld of possibilities for AIBO enthusiasts and it is a notable step in the development of artificial intelligence as w ell as domestic robots.
The clever AIBO ERS-7 w ill present a very new dimension of companionship to its ow ner. The connectivity possibilities w ith mobile devices and PCs mean that AIBO w ill be able to perform ever more helpful actions in the day-to-day life of its ow ner. Ow ing to the significant progress of the hardw are, Sony has developed a new software named ‘AIBO Mind’ that integrates all of AIBO’s applications onto one 32MB Memory Stick. This software Memory Stick is supplied in English version with the main unit as an all in one package. Today this all-inclusive softw are enables AIBO to behave autonomously as well as benefit from PC-based applications.
In the autonomous mode, fun pet-like behaviour accompanies AIBO’s ability to recognise its ow ner’s face and voice as well as locate its energy station to charge itself. For the first time, this softw are also features ‘Visual Pattern Recognition’ enabling AIBO to distinguish shapes and patterns. For example, the pattern on the Energy Station pole helps AIBO to localise and position itself quickly. In addition, the all-new AIBO Cards feature a variety of patterns offering
an alternative w ay of communicating visually w ith AIBO. These cards allow AIBO to be given several instructions including ‘Alarm clock set-up‘ or ‘Take a picture’.
One of the key applications of the ‘AIBO Mind’ softw are utilising the Wireless LAN technology, allow s AIBO to remotely connect to an Internet enabled PC or mobile device. For example, the owner can send an email instruction to AIBO asking it to take an unsuspecting picture of the ow ner’s children and send it back to the mobile telephone. This extraordinary feature demonstrates the potential for AIBO to have a more useful role in everyday life. The ow ner can
also benefit from the onboard Wireless LAN by transferring the pictures taken independently by AIBO to be view ed on a PC.
Over time new contents and applications w ill be made available to personalise an A IBO and will need to be added to the single ‘AIBO Mind’ Memory Stick. AIBO’s on-board memory has been doubled and its new 64-bit RISC processor has a clock speed that is 150% faster than its predecessors. Several ‘touch’ sensors on AIBO’s body are now electro-static sensors meaning that a gentle stroke on A IBO’s head or back w ill trigger a response w ithout needing to push or click. The ERS-7’s eyesight is three times better than previous models. Finally, AIBO’s clever new behaviour has been rew arded w ith a new toy, the ‘AIBOne’. In the form of a pink bone, A IBO can, for the first time ever, pick it up in its mouth.
Eager AIBO enthusiasts need only w ait until Sony Dream World in Paris on 6th and 7th September 2003 to get a first glimpse of the new AIBO. From the beginning of November, AIBO w ill be available throughout Europe, either through selected retail outlets or online at www.eu.aibo.com.
Main specifications of AIBO ERS-7
Dimension 180 (W) x 278 (H) x 319 (D) mm
Weight Approx. 1.65kg (including battery & memory stick)
‚b‚o‚t 64bit RISC Processor MIPS R7000
CPU Clock Speed 576MHz
Memory SDRAM 256Mbit x 2
Flash memory 32Mbit x 1
Program Storage Media Memory Stick 1 slot, FAT16
Components not removable
Movable Parts Mouth – 1 degree of freedom
Head – 3 degrees of freedom
Leg – 3 degrees of freedom x 4 legs
Ear – 1 degree of freedom x 2
Tail – 2 degrees of freedom
Input/Output Camera CMOS Image Sensor 350,000 pixels
PC Card Slot N/A
Wireless LAN Card IEEE 802.11b (Integrated)
Media Memory Stick slot In/Out
Audio Input Miniature Microphones
Audio Output Miniature Speaker, 20.8mm?A500mW
MIDI Yes
Volume Switch Yes
Built-in Sensors Temperature Sensor
Infrared Distance Sensor (head, body)
Acceleration Sensor
Electric Static Sensor (head, back)
Pressure Sensor (chin, paws (4))
Vibration Sensor
Power Consumption Approx. 7W (Standard operation in autonomous
mode)
4
Operating Time Approx. 1.5 Hours (Standard operation in
autonomous mode)
Charging Time Approx. 2.5 Hours
Operating Temperature 5°C to 35°C
Operating Humidity 10% to 80%
Supplied Accessories
AIBO MIND (software), Energy station, Energy station
pole, AC adapter, Lithium Ion Battery pack, Pink ball,
AIBOne, AIBO Cards, Documentation
LED Illume Face : 24 LED (white 12, red 4, blue 4, green
4)
Ear : 2 (left & right)
Head sensor : 2 (white and amber)
Head (wireless LAN on/off) : 1(blue)
Back sensor : 16 (white 8, red 3, blue 3, orange 2)
About Sony:
Sony manufactures audio, video, communications and information technology products for the global consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, game and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to become a leading personal broadband entertainment company in the 21st century. In Europe, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 13.88 billion (yen 1,666 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, based on an average market exchange rate for the same period of yen 120 to the EUR. Sony Europe, headquartered at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, is responsible for the company’s European electronics business and registered consolidated sales of EUR 8.62 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003. For more information on Sony Europe, please visit http://www.sony-europe.com