The
term "pet owner" took on a completely new meaning at Toy Fair 2001, with
the virtual stampede of robotic dogs and cats in the marketplace. The "Robotic
Virtual Pets" sub-category of the toy market jumped from $5 million to
$159 million in one year. My choice for the best virtual pet at Toy Fair
2001 had to be Sony's AIBO ERS-210. Sony claims that AIBO can mimic free
will and emotion. I spent an hour playing with an AIBO at the Toy Fair
and I guarantee you that it is impossible not to treat AIBO as if it were
an intelligent life form. "Good Boy!" AIBO can learn whatever name you
give your AIBO. With built-in voice recognition, AIBO can learn up to fifty
words and talk back to you in a special AIBO tonal language. You command
your pet to follow orders including "take a picture." AIBO has a built
in camera. That is something your real life pet cannot do.