During the 1990s and early 2000s, digital or robotic pets were at the top of most children’s Christmas lists. From the pocket-sized Tamagotchi to the spirited Furby, these toys gave us a glimpse of what we could expect from developers in the future. Since our interests were piqued over 20 years ago, the idea of a robotic pet has far surpassed the realm of being just a toy, with many having become a functional and useful piece of technology. Earlier this year at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas, Sony showcased their latest recreation of the 90s hit robot dog, Aibo. Almost unrecognisable compared to its original form, the new Aibo is arguably the most technologically advanced robotic pet on the market. Jam-packed with sensory, locomotive and automated technology, this robot dog has raised an important question: Could our animal companions ever be replaced by robots?

在20世纪90年代和21世纪初，电子宠物或机器宠物在大多数孩子们的圣诞节名单上名列前茅。从口袋大小的塔马戈奇到精神抖擞福尔比，这些玩具让我们得以一窥我们对未来开发者的期望。自从20多年前我们的兴趣被激发以来，机器人宠物的概念已经远远超越了仅仅是一个玩具的领域，其中许多已经成为了实用的和有用的技术。今年早些时候，在拉斯维加斯举行的国际消费电子展上，索尼展示了他们最新的90年代热门机器狗，爱宝。新的爱宝可以说是市场上技术最先进的机器宠物，与它的原始形态相比几乎无法辨认。这只机械狗充满了感官、机车和自动化技术，提出了一个重要的问题：我们的动物伴侣能否被机器人所取代？

CREATING A COMPANION

When it comes to robotic animals, there is a significant difference between what is a toy and what you could truly consider a pet. One key difference lies in their level of autonomy and accompanying artificial intelligence (AI). The majority of robopet toys of the 90s and 2000s had been programmed with limited abilities. They could give a set response to sounds or be

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当涉及到机器人动物，有一个什么是一个玩具和你可以真正考虑宠物之间的显着差异。一个关键的区别在于它们的自主性和人工智能（AI）。上世纪90年代和本世纪头十年的大多数机器人玩具都是用有限的能力编程的。他们可以对声音做出固定的反应

How It Works 053 could give a set response to sounds or be controlled remotely by their user to follow commands. Therefore it’s hard to imagine that the unique characteristics of our beloved pets could ever be reproduced in a robotic alternative. However, with the introduction of AI to life imitating pets, their ability to learn and develop a ‘personality’ could make them much more than just a toy.

它如何工作053可以给一套响应的声音或由他们的用户远程控制，以遵循命令。因此很难想象我们心爱的宠物的独特特性能够在机器人的替代品中被复制。然而，随着人工智能引入模仿宠物的生活，他们学习和发展“个性”的能力可以使他们不仅仅是一个玩具。

Hollywood blockbusters often associate artificial intelligence with androids determined to overthrow the human race. However, the fundamentals of AI aren’t malevolent. At its core, AI is simply the ability for a computer program or robot to carry out tasks that humans would associate with intelligence. Examples of AI could include the ability to learn from experiences, solve problems or recognise individuals based on voice or facial analysis.

好莱坞大片常常将人工智能与决心推翻人类的机器人联系在一起。然而，人工智能的基本原理并不是恶意的。就其核心而言，人工智能仅仅是一个计算机程序或机器人执行人类与智能有关的任务的能力。人工智能的例子可以包括从经验中学习的能力，解决问题或根据声音或面部分析识别个人。

Aibo, for example, is brought to life through installed intelligence alongside mechanical characteristics. It can respond to a situation, learn to perform tricks, play on its own, navigate around a room, and much more thanks to its AI brain. It’s this memory stick mind that lets Aibo grow and mature the more it is interacted with.

例如，爱宝，是通过安装智能和机械特性而获得生命的。它能对环境做出反应，学会表演技巧，自己玩，在房间里到处转转，更多亏了它的人工智能大脑。正是这种记忆棒思想，让爱波成长和成熟的更多的互动。

Much like any conventional pet, Aibo also responds to being touched and petted, with several sensors placed around its body. If you own a dog you know that if you are the one that feeds them, walks them and plays with them the most, you are often the one that gets the most puppy love.

就像任何传统宠物一样，爱宝也会对被触摸和抚摸做出反应，在它的身体周围放置了几个传感器。如果你养了一只狗，你就会知道，如果你是一个养狗的人，带着他们散步，和他们一起玩耍，那么你常常是最容易得到爱的人。

This is a natural quality that developers have incorporated into their designs. Aibo’s AI technology enables it to differentiate between members of the family, and those that give it the most attention grow to be its favourite.

这是开发人员在其设计中融入的一种自然品质。爱宝的人工智能技术使它能够区分家庭成员，而那些给予它最大关注的人成长为它的最爱。

Aibo isn’t, of course, the only robotic pet to use advanced technology. CHiP (Canine Home Intelligent Pet) is a dog with the same intentions as Aibo, however, this mechanical mutt has traded walking for wheels. Released back in 2016, CHiP received a lot of media attention as a result of its developer’s claim that it could develop a personality. While it’s less autonomous than Aibo, CHiP allows owners to approve its behaviour via their own SmartBand accessory. This device allows owners to communicate with CHiP to deliver commands and even tailor its behaviour. By ‘liking’ CHiP’s actions through the band, this robopet can begin to learn how to (and how not to) behave, in a similar way to training a real-life dog.

当然，爱宝并不是唯一一个使用先进技术的机器人宠物。狗（犬家庭智能宠物）是一个狗与爱宝相同的意图，但是，这个机械杂种狗已交换步行的车轮。早在2016年，芯片就受到了媒体的广泛关注，因为它的开发者声称它可以培养个性。虽然它的自主性不如爱宝，芯片允许业主批准其行为通过自己的智能带配件。这种设备允许用户与芯片通信，以交付命令，甚至定制其行为。通过“喜欢”芯片的行为通过乐队，这个机器人可以开始学习如何（和如何）行为，以一种类似的方式训练一只真实的狗。

Robotic pets have been designed to be an entertaining version of their living counterparts, and they offer us a new type of companion. Our technological demand for instant information may mean that products like Aibo or CHiP could have smart-home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa incorporated within them in the near future, making the owner a modern-day Dr Doolittle. However, there are robopets out there that are enriching people’s health as well as their homes.

机器人宠物已经被设计成他们活着的同类的娱乐版本，并且他们为我们提供了一种新类型的伴侣。我们对即时信息的技术需求意味着像爱宝或芯片这样的产品在不久的将来可能会有像亚马逊的Alexa这样的智能家庭助手，这使得主人成为现代的杜立德博士。然而，有一些机器正在丰富人们的健康以及他们的家。

PET THERAPY 宠物疗法

Although living pets offer a great amount of affection and happiness to their owners, they come with responsibilities that not everyone can commit to. There has been an increased use of robotic pets among the elderly and those with disabilities as companion and therapy pets. Straying away from the more popular dog or cat design, PARO is a robotic seal pup that offers support in hospitals and care facilities. This robot is currently being used as a tool to aid patients suffering from dementia with social interactions. PARO is equipped with multiple sensors and responsive animatronics to replicate the movements of a living pet, but it remains relatively sedentary to keep patients calm and happy.

尽管活着的宠物给它们的主人提供了大量的关爱和幸福，但它们也带来了并非每个人都能承担的责任。机器人宠物在老年人和残疾人士中作为伴侣和治疗宠物的使用增加了。离开比较流行的狗或猫的设计，防止虐待动物是一个机器海豹幼仔，提供支持，在医院和护理设施。这种机器人目前正被用作一种工具，以帮助痴呆患者的社会互动。PARO配备了多个传感器和反应灵敏的电子装置来复制一只活着的宠物的动作，但是它仍然相对地坐着以保持病人的平静和快乐。

Other companies, including Hasbro, have also created companion robots to replicate both cats and dogs in order to serve the same purpose as PARO. Projects such as MiRo are currently in development to produce autonomous robots that can monitor our health. Created by Consequential Robotics, MiRo aims to reassure its owners that they are not alone in a medical crisis. “We design robotic systems that will go into people’s homes to help them look after themselves better. [They’re] specififically helpful for old people. The key reason people go into residential care is the fear of falling; that you will fall over and no one will be there,” said cofounder Sebastian Conran. This is where MiRo could be of assistance by alerting the authorities when it detects a problem.

其他公司，包括孩之宝，也创造了伴侣机器人复制猫和狗，以服务于同样的目的，防止外空军备竞赛。米罗等项目目前正在开发，以生产能够监测我们健康的自动机器人。米罗由后果机器人公司创立，目的是让它的主人放心，他们并不是唯一陷入医疗危机的人。“我们设计了机器人系统，将进入人们的家庭，以帮助他们照顾自己更好。它们对老年人特别有帮助。人们去住院护理的主要原因是害怕跌倒，你会摔倒，而且没有人会在那里。”Said共同创始人Sebastian Conran。这就是米罗在发现问题时向当局发出警报的地方，可能会有所帮助。

“What we can do is program MiRo to respond if you’re happy or sad as it has facial recognition. It can see what faces you are pulling or if you’re in the process of having a stroke,” Conran continues. Research has shown that pets both living and robotic can offer therapeutic help to their owners, but what about their use as a medical monitor? MiRo is being developed as a barking health checker as well as a companion. “

我们所能做的就是让米罗程序在你开心或悲伤的时候做出回应，因为它有面部识别。它可以看到你正在拉的脸，或如果你正在中风的过程中，。”康兰接着说。研究表明，无论是活着的还是机械的宠物都可以为它们的主人提供治疗帮助，但是它们作为医疗监视器的用途如何呢？米罗正在发展成为一个吠叫健康检查以及伴侣。

“It can transmit information and understand what the wristband around your wrist is saying, whether your body temperature is a bit hot or cold. It can say whether your blood oxygen level is low or if your heart rate is elevated or not present. It can monitor basic vital signs pretty accurately,” explains Conran.

它可以传递信息，理解手腕上的腕带在说什么，不管你的体温是热还是冷。它可以说，无论你的血氧水平低，或者如果你的心率升高或不在场。它能相当准确地监测基本的生命体征。”

It seems that robotic pets may have a place within future households as a source of support, entertainment and potentially even security – roles that a living counterpart can’t necessarily offer. However, as far as answering the question of whether they could replace our furry friends, we have a long way to go before we see anything that could compete with the real deal.

看来，机器人宠物在未来家庭中可能有一席之地，成为一种支持、娱乐，甚至是安全感的来源——一个活着的同类不一定能起到这样的作用。然而，在回答他们是否可以取代我们的毛茸茸的朋友这个问题上，我们还有很长的路要走，才能看到能与真正的交易相抗衡的东西。