The third generation of original AIBOs, the ERS-7 was the most advanced AIBO of its era.
Sony's Third-Generation AIBO Entertainment Robot Grows Up With Upgraded Software and New Hue
Sony Electronics - 10/06/2004
Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Check out the latest upgrade to Sony's canine-like AIBO® Entertainment Robot (ERS-7M2/W and ERS-7M2/B).
Advanced technology, new software applications and an elegant pearl black color have been incorporated in the latest version of the robot, offering more personalized interaction, new tricks and even the ability to house sit. The stylish color variation provides a contrasting balance against the other pearlescent white AIBO robots in the product line.
"The latest AIBO Entertainment Robot is the perfect companion for design- savvy customers seeking a whimsical way to combine the convenience of advanced technology with entertainment applications," said Ken Orii, senior sales and marketing manager of Sony Electronics' e-Solutions Company LLC.
AIBO Entertainment Player and AIBO MIND 2 Software
With new AIBO Entertainment Player (AEP) functions AIBO ERS-7 model owners can control, program and navigate the robot wirelessly from the PC.
The robot's digital camera functions also get a boost with the addition of video recording capabilities, which can make AIBO an effective house-sitter, recording activities in the home while owners are at work or on vacation. The combination of AEP and AIBO MIND 2 (a software application on 32 MB Memory Stick® media) offers several customized recording modes -- continuous, time lapsed, motion activated and sound activated. In addition, the AIBO EYES function allows owners to receive e-mail directly from the AIBO robot with an attached photo.
AIBO robot can also playback your favorite digital music files (compatible with WAV, MP3 and WMA files) or CDs from its speakers while it dances to the beat. AIBO Scheduler is compatible with Microsoft® Outlook®, so it can remind you about important appointments.
The new software improves the AIBO robot's reaction time for better response to voice commands. The new robot also has advanced face tracking and faster, smoother movements that improve its detection ability to avoid obstacles at a greater distance or in a darker environment.
The new ERS-7M2/W (pearl white) and ERS-7M2/B (pearl black) models include AIBO Entertainment Player and AIBO MIND 2 software and will be available in mid-November through Sony Style stores and direct at www.sonystyle.com. The AIBO MIND 2 software upgrade will be available for about $100 (AIBO MIND 2 software may be used with all AIBO ERS-7 models), and the upgraded AIBO robot will be available for about $1,900.
For additional information about Sony products, call (888) 222-SONY, or visit Sony's web site at: www.aibo.com. Press releases and digital images are available for the media at Sony Electronics' news and information web site at: www.sony.com/news.
For further information please contact: Shoko Yanagisawa of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-7601, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SOURCE: Sony Electronics Inc.
below are some press release regarding the ers-7
Press Release
Berlin, 6TH October 2004
AIBO GAINS NEW SKILLS WITH AIBO MIND 2 SOFTWARE AND STEPS OUT IN PEARL BLACK STYLE
Replace MP3 players and PDAs with AIBO. With the advanced new AIBO MIND 2 software, AIBO gains wireless connectivity and the ability to record moving pictures, recognise patterns, voices and faces, obey commands to play music from MP3 lists or Internet radio and dance along, read out scheduled items and wake you!
AIBO- the life and soul of the party
Here you are, host of the party and it’s time for AIBO to entertain your friends. “AIBO, play music!” you say and your companion complies, playing out random songs from your favourite CDs from its built in speaker while dancing to the tunes. When AIBO is finished your friends have their turn, showing your party animal one of your selection of CDs and marvelling as AIBO recognises the cover and plays the music they’ve selected. AIBO isn’t finished with its magic however as it can pick up and play music from Internet radio stations or from your MP3 playlist in response to your spoken commands.
Much more than a musical entertainer, improved Navigator functions and wireless networkingmean AIBO can be an even more interactive aid to party hosts. AIBO can send back sound and vision to your PC from a head mounted camera and microphones and transmit your voice through its speaker, so the fun possibilities are endless. Send AIBO into a circle of your friends,
while you monitor movements from your PC, then observe their startled reactions as AIBO
Press Release
Berlin, 6TH October 2004
AIBO the carefree companion
There’s no need for you to look after AIBO though. When its battery needs recharging, AIBO simply goes to its Energy Station at any time of the day or night. When AIBO is bored it can play with itsAIBOne which it can chase, pick up and bring back to you, or its pink ball with which it can play football- AIBO can even race between obstacles! AIBO can even show its emotions - it’ll let you know how it’s feeling by the many expressions on its face panel- so give your friend a pat to express your understanding and to develop its personality. If you already have a new AIBO ERS-7 model, a simple upgrade will add all the new features, but retain the personality and memory of your playful pal. Although AIBO will learn to recognise its tasks and obey your commands, you can set it back to a puppy stage for play whenever you want, before switching back to mature mode when there’s work to be done.
“Always an intelligent and versatile friend, AIBO has now become much, much more,”says Nicolas Babin, Director of Sony Entertainment Robot Europe. “The development of the AIBO MIND 2 software now included with the pearlescent white and new black AIBO model represents an important milestone in the history of domestic robots. Now AIBO is truly a functioning, responsive part of the modern family, fulfilling important organisational and visual tasks as well as providing entertainment and companionship.”
Press Release
Berlin, 6TH October 2004
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Please find below further details about products and services highlighted in the Press Release:
About AIBO ERS-7M2
AIBO is an autonomous, intelligent companion from Sony Entertainment Robot Europe that responds to voice commands, uses integrated camera and various sensors or pattern recognition to fulfil tasks and connects to a wireless network to become part of a home entertainment.. Available in two colours - the standard pearl white and the new pearl black body (with various body parts defined in dark grey metallic and brown and grey smoke colours) the AIBO ERS-7M2 now includes AIBO Mind 2 software to perform even more impressive tasks and take full advantage of AIBO’s capabilities (see below for more on MIND 2).
AIBO has specially developed tactile touch sensors on its back, head and chin that double as remote control sensors for commands and as receptors for interacting with its owners (AIBO learns and develops with more human interaction). The AIBO ERS-7 also features Illume -Face , Sony’s innovative LED face panel that provides a way for the robot to express its feelings, emotions and current conditions. The LED display also indicates when AIBO is transmitting images and sounds or receiving sound over a wireless connection
The Sony AIBO ERS-7 with AIBO MIND 2 will be available in November 2004 in pearl black (ERS- 7M2/B) and pearl white (ERS-7M2/W) colours.
About MIND 2 Software
The AIBO MIND 2 software supplied with Sony’s companion brings a new level of artificial intelligence to entertainment robotics. It is split into the AIBO Entertainment Player (AEP) and a range of new Autonomous functions. The AEP can be configured and controlled from the PC screen and is further divided into three main features. The Music Player component manages AIBO’s playlist of MP3 music and Internet radio stations enabling AIBO to playback music and dance along following a PC, voice or visual cue. The Navigator component allows AIBO to be controlled remotely including using a microphone to transmit your voice through AIBO’s speaker, allows monitoring of video and sounds (with a new video recording option) and provides improved reaction speed to remote commands. Finally the Scheduler provides personal time management by importing calendars from the PC diary and reading the schedules out, converting Text to Speech on the PC and streaming the speech to PCM audio for AIBO to play and respond to with actions. There’s no need for a clock radio either as Scheduler ensure that AIBO will play music at your programmed wake-up time.
AIBO’s new autonomous features include a new pick up mode and tricks; ‘House Sitter’ mode for responding to noise or movement by recording and emailing sound and pictures, using interval recording mode; there is also faster reaction to voice commands and improved obstacle avoidance as well as optimised self-charging.
AIBO has sophisticated visual pattern recognition features enabling it to remember specific objects and patterns - just control AIBO to locate an object such as a CD cover using its built-in video
camera, then select capture on the control software and assign an action for AIBO to perform when
Press Release
Berlin, 6TH October 2004
Key specifications:
SONY AIBO ERS-7 with MIND 2
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Dimensions :180 (W) x 278 (H) x 319 (D) mm
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Weight Approx. 1.65kg (including battery & memory stick)
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CPU : 64bit RISC Processor
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CPU Clock Speed : 576MHz
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Memory: 64Mbyte SDRAM, Memory Stick for Program Storage
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Movable Parts
o Mouth - 1 degree of freedom
o Head - 3 degrees of freedom
o Leg - 3 degrees of freedom x 4 legso Ear-1degreeoffreedomx2
o Tail - 2 degrees of freedom
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Camera :CMOS Image Sensor 350,000 pixels
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IEEE 802.11b (Integrated)Wireless LAN Card
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Audio: Miniature Microphones, Miniature Speaker, 20.8mm,500mW, MIDI, Volume Switch
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Built-in Sensors
o Infrared Distance Sensor (head, body)o Acceleration Sensor
o Electric Static Sensor (head, back)
o Pressure Sensor (chin, paws (4)o Vibration Sensor
o Temperature Sensor
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Power Consumption: Approx. 7W (Standard operation in autonomous mode)
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Operating Time: Approx. 1.5 Hours (Standard operation in autonomous mode)
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Charging Time: Approx. 2.5 Hours
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LED mode and emotion lights :
o Illume face: 24 LED (white 12, red 4, blue 4, green4)o Ear : 2 (left & right)
o Head sensor : 2 (white and amber)
o Head (wireless LAN on/off) : 1(blue
o Back sensor : 16 (white 8, red 3, blue 3, orange 2• Supplied Accessories:
o AIBO MIND 2 (software), Energy station, Energy station pole, AC adapter, Lithium Ion Battery pack, Pink ball, AIBOne, AIBO Cards, Documentation CD-ROM containing Installer, AEP and RFW, WLAN Manager and PDF Manuals, Paper Manual.
AIBO Mind 2 System Requirements
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AIBO ERS-7
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Microsoft® Windows® PC
o OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP (SP1/SP2) / Windows® 2000 Professional (SP4)o Language : English, Japanese
o CPU : Intel® Pentium III 800MHz、256MB Memory、120MB HDD
o 3D Graphic Card with 16MB or more VRAM
Press Release
Berlin, 6TH October 2004
In addition, for any queries about Sony in your respective country, please contact your local Sony PR office.
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 13.47 billion (yen 1,765 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, based on an average market exchange rate for the same period of yen 131 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 8.71 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.