Introduction
As we all know from the beginning of Mankind’s journey, the relationship between Humans & their pets has always held a significant place in history. But as times passed, that one relationship that has reflected a staunch bond was with Dogs & Cats. But with the changing time, we not only experienced the perks of having a Dog/Cat as a pet but also some of the agonies as well.
These agonies were related to several aspects such as training the pets, monitoring them for timely vaccinations, cleaning the house for ‘Furs’ etc.
But what if someone told you that now; one can have only the perks and joys of having a smart pet in life?
Yes, you heard it right. Advanced Engineering & Robotics companies such as Petoi, Boston Dynamics, MIT & Sony have not only resolved all the discrepancies mentioned above but also added some interesting joys to this relationship.
Petoi has introduced the world’s first palm-sized servo-activated robot dog aka ‘Bittle’. It is uadruped robot (having 4 legs) that perfectly reflects its natural doppelganger. It’s a combination of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths (STEAM).
I am going to showcase five amazing AI usages of robotic dogs such as Bittle by Petoi, Spot Mini by Boston Dynamics, Cheetah by MIT & Aibo by Sony.
The progress that we humans have made so far in the creation of robotic pets has made us realize the various applications a robotic pet can have such as;
1. Human Companion:
- Humans and dogs have had a special bond for thousands of years which can be seen in the way these robotic dogs work, play, and live with us. Sony AIBO is an advanced robot that the owner treats as a pet in his/her life. Another example of a robot dog companion is Bittle which can be programmed to greet its owner during Christmas time:
- Robotic dogs like Bittle & Aibo imitate the same emotions as their natural doppelgangers through gestures such as nodding their heads, quivering their tail, handshaking, etc.
- Despite being a robot, these gestures make them more adorable and friendly. It becomes a win-win situation for both parties, and that’s why we love each other so much.
2. Surveillance/Patrolling
- Robotic Pets such as ‘Spot Mini’ can be used for Night Surveillance due to the AI advancements in Image Recognition and Night Vision Technology.
- Spot Mini can also be backed-up by Cheetah (MIT) for catching the suspects(possibly burglars) with its high-speed sprint.
- This can minimize or possibly eliminate the need for human police officers to patrol at night to ensure the citizens’ utmost safety.
3. Educational STEM Learning:
- What’s better than having an opportunity to learn via new inventions, especially cute robot pets? It’s much more fun when one can learn coding, robotics, or even physics by quandruped robot pets to move and do tricks. Open-source robotic pets such as MIT Cheetah, and Petoi Bittle built on open source framework OpenCat, provide the opportunity for every tech enthusiast to collaborate, contribute and learn something new while experimenting with them.
4. Household Cleaning via. Object Detection:
- Who wouldn’t want a helping hand at house cleaning? The progress of AI in technologies such as Object detection & Voice Recognition has helped OEMs design robots that can help clean houses.
- The scope of customized programming in robotic pets can surely help us in commanding them to clean the house if needed.
- Although Aibo (by Sony) currently serves as a cute artificial companion , in the future, robot pets can be programmed for activities such as Brooming, wiping the floor, etc.
5. Military Operations (Bomb Defusal):
- It’s evident that although humans do equip themselves with gears while conducting life-threatening operations such as Bomb-Defusal, there can still be chances of explosion.
- Robotic dogs like Spot Mini and MIT Cheetah guarantee that there won’t be any precious life threatened and explosives can also be neutralized.
Conclusion:
In the future, AI will play a major role in enhancing the use of robotics for assistance in our daily lives.
Although if we compare all the available robotic pets such as Spot Mini($70,000), Cheetah($10,000) & Aibo($2,900) with Petoi Bittle($269) in terms of use case, cost, scalability, and durability then it is evident that, Bittle seems more cost-efficient, capable of educating young minds, serving as a cute companion, etc.
These robotic pets can be programmed and reinvented even further for several other use cases for making our lives easier and more compassionate.
