Today's post makes me feel sad for all the people who have lost pets to deaths of various sorts. The difference with the Aibo (stands for artificial intelligence robot) is they were technically never alive but that didn't stop their owners from growing attached. Sony started making the robotic dogs in 1999 and sold about 150,000 units for around $2,000 per pet. They decided to discontinue the Aibos in 2006 in order to compete in their more profitable markets (TVs,&games) but the killing blow came in 2014 when they quit servicing and selling parts to keep the pets working. Each of the pets developed their own personality based on interactions with their owners so you can imagine how a person would come to think of the robots as a living pet. They were also perfect for people who traveled or worked long hours as they didn't need to be fed or walked. They are even honored with funerals in Japan where the bulk of them were sold. RIP Aibo.
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