Category Archives: Robots

Tragedy Befalls the Aibo World

The rumors are true, from the Robocup Committee itself:

Dear 4-legged RoboCuppers,

I have just received an e-mail from Minoru Asada that Sony announced that
they will stop to produce AIBO by the end of this March. As long as they
have AIBOs, they will sell them. The services such as repairing and parts
exchanges will continue for about 7 years after they stopped the production.

Sony decided to completely withdraw from robotics related activities.

In 2006, we will hold the Four-legged robot league competition as planned.
After that, we have to discuss what we will do (especially the TC).

Best regards

Thomas Röfer

UPDATE:: More, From the Sony Aibo representative, to the Robocup 4legged League mailing list:

Dear all,

As Asada-san sent the email, Sony announced that Sony discontinues
production of AIBO.

Since the beginning, AIBO has grown up with RoboCup. We very much appreciate
all of your understanding and support for AIBO and Sony’s activities. I know
the discussion about a platform in four-legged robot league and appreciate
the decision to use AIBO as the platform for RoboCup 2006. I appreciate to
it and I regret that Sony made this decision though it is your supports.

Personally it is very sad to stop AIBO production, but as Kitano-san
mentioned
it is a new start for next evolution for RoboCup.

I believe your success in RoboCup 2006!!
Thank you.

—- Masahiro

Merry Christmas!

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flickr: sea_bass / photo: iDog!!.

Meet the newest member of MY family–though I’m sure he’ll be spending plenty time grooving in the Bowdoin Lab.

This is a iDog. I will not program it to play Soccer.

On the development side, I’ve spent a couple of hours in the past few days getting to know the vision system–and I now actually understand the new techniques we use as well as the old compression we use for AiboConnect.

The only issue is getting me and Yi Zhuang, our vision guru, on the same page: China to Maryland via email discussing code that is stored at Bowdoin–tricky! Thankfully we have Subversion.

The New Asimo

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flickr: GreenBeanPrime / photo: asimo.

Video of the New Asimo, sadly not the size pictured above, is now available from Honda. See the Asimo run at 6km/h, exercise, or even receiving and delivering a tray.