Sony Qrio - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

11-21-2004, 08:21 AM

Have any of you seen this Qrio thing from Sony?
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/QRIO/

It looks like it's a humanoid Aibo - but it doesn't look like it's going to be out for a little while yet - In the meantime, has anyone had any experience with an Aibo? If so, what are they like? Are they the intelligent, useful 'companions' the ads like to make out, or just weird curiosities that quickly loose their appeal?

JJRousseau · 11-21-2004, 03:25 PM

I saw the prototype on diisplay in a Tokyo store last year. Seemed like a very expensive toy to me.

11-22-2004, 07:18 AM

That's kind of what I was suspecting - The Aibo has been around for some time now, but I've never seen one in someone's home - Having a home robot, really could be a good thing, as long as you could get it to do something useful - Despite the claims of artificial intelligence, facial and voice recognition, and tamagotchi-style bells and whistles, I'm not convinced that either the Qrio, or the Aibo are more than as you say, an expensive toy - which is a shame, since the prospect of something like that in the home really is an exciting one.

But I want to be convinced otherwise, any robotics fans out there?

JJRousseau · 11-22-2004, 07:44 AM

Ya I'm sure it will get you a coke from the fridge but I think the technology has a long way to go. When it can vaccuum and take my wife shopping, call me. Any idea what the price is?

11-22-2004, 07:46 AM

No clue - Aibo's are not cheap by any standards, I'd guess it would start at around $2000+ (or likely a lot more)

chance · 11-22-2004, 10:40 AM

[The Aibo, Sony's toy robot dog, was a huge commercial hit. But it's a quadruped so, by today's standards, no great shakes. Meet Qrio (rhymes with curio), the company's new bipedal "personal agent." More of a corporate showpiece than an actual product (on the market it would fetch about as much as a BMW), Qrio can walk uphill, sing, dance, wave hello, wiggle its fingers and kick a ball with surprising grace. Two digital cameras, one behind each eye, help Qrio map a room for future reference and recognize up to 10 different faces. It can also converse in Japanese. Can you?]

I would guess a lot more than 2000$

11-22-2004, 01:49 PM

Ouch! That's a lot for dough for something that can 'recognize up to 10 different faces'!

11-21-2004, 08:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	Sony Qrio Have any of you seen this Qrio thing from Sony? http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/QRIO/ It looks like it's a humanoid Aibo - but it doesn't look like it's going to be out for a little while yet - In the meantime, has anyone had any experience with an Aibo? If so, what are they like? Are they the intelligent, useful 'companions' the ads like to make out, or just weird curiosities that quickly loose their appeal?

11-21-2004, 03:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
JJRousseau Psycho Location: Vancouver, Canada	I saw the prototype on diisplay in a Tokyo store last year. Seemed like a very expensive toy to me.

11-22-2004, 07:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	That's kind of what I was suspecting - The Aibo has been around for some time now, but I've never seen one in someone's home - Having a home robot, really could be a good thing, as long as you could get it to do something useful - Despite the claims of artificial intelligence, facial and voice recognition, and tamagotchi-style bells and whistles, I'm not convinced that either the Qrio, or the Aibo are more than as you say, an expensive toy - which is a shame, since the prospect of something like that in the home really is an exciting one. But I want to be convinced otherwise, any robotics fans out there?

11-22-2004, 07:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
JJRousseau Psycho Location: Vancouver, Canada	Ya I'm sure it will get you a coke from the fridge but I think the technology has a long way to go. When it can vaccuum and take my wife shopping, call me. Any idea what the price is?

11-22-2004, 07:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	No clue - Aibo's are not cheap by any standards, I'd guess it would start at around $2000+ (or likely a lot more)

11-22-2004, 10:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
chance Tilted	[The Aibo, Sony's toy robot dog, was a huge commercial hit. But it's a quadruped so, by today's standards, no great shakes. Meet Qrio (rhymes with curio), the company's new bipedal "personal agent." More of a corporate showpiece than an actual product (on the market it would fetch about as much as a BMW), Qrio can walk uphill, sing, dance, wave hello, wiggle its fingers and kick a ball with surprising grace. Two digital cameras, one behind each eye, help Qrio map a room for future reference and recognize up to 10 different faces. It can also converse in Japanese. Can you?] I would guess a lot more than 2000$

11-22-2004, 01:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	Ouch! That's a lot for dough for something that can 'recognize up to 10 different faces'!