China produces a Robot with a combination of the two elements that are loved by everyone: technology and pets.
Meet the AlphaDog, a Robo-dog who will obey your whip-fats command, and no need to worry about horrible surprises left on the floor.
The AlphaDog uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and various sensors to make it a high-tech hound. The technology makes AlphaDog see and hear what’s happening around it, and one can even take it for a walk.
The company producing AlphaDog is Weilan.
The chief technology officer at the company, Ma Jie, stated:
“It’s very similar to a real dog.”
AlphaDog was created using the paw prints of a four-legged machine called ‘Spot.’
Boston Dynamics designed a spot for industrial use, and after it appeared in a viral series on YouTube, it became an internet sensation.
The creators based in Nanjing have created this product, keeping the consumer market in mind.
They claim that AplphaDog moves at 15 Kilometers / 9 Miles per hour and will spin as a puppy would when it gets excited.
Ma explains that this dog has legs made of metal making; it is more stable than an actual dog, and a team member kicks the robo-dog swiftly to prove his point.
As the robot climbs up the stairs slowly, Ma says:
“It can predict the friction and height of the ground (to) adjust its height, adjust the stride frequency, and adapt to the environment.”
The people who created AlpaDog used 5G technology for fast internet speed and instant reaction time, making the robot work autonomously.
Ma went to the University of Oxford and studied reinforcement learning, in which you learn to reinforce activities through reward or punishment.
Using the knowledge he received at the University, he stated how AlphaDog has the habits of a canine.
Under the leadership of Mai Zedong, communist China’s founder, owning a dog was banned. However, since then, this market has flourished.
That is why, in its sales in the first month, more than 1,900 AlphaDogs were sold, even though they cost 16,000 yuan ($2,400).
According to Ma, Computer developers, kids, and tech geeks were the ones who mostly ordered robo-dog.
China is looking to upskill its workforce.
Beijing is making huge investments in AI and robotics.
Robots are being used for delivery, serving in restaurants, giving information at stations, and taking swabs for COVID-19 tests.
Developers are excited about the future of their four-legged friends and how the visually impaired can benefit from it.
As Ma said:
“To help the disabled is an important developing direction for us. When the robot dog has the function of vision, hearing, and dialogue, it can easily interact with disabled people and lead them to the supermarket or the bus.”
Furthermore, in the future, the company will have AlphaDog bark and add a human voice for the owner and pet to interact.
FAQs
Who invented the robotic dog?
Many companies and researchers have developed the concept of robotic dogs over the years. One of the most well-known and early robotic dogs is “AIBO,” which was developed by Sony Corporation. AIBO was introduced in 1999 and became one of the first commercially successful robotic pets. It was designed to mimic the behavior of a real dog, with the ability to interact with its environment and respond to commands.
While Sony is often associated with the development of AIBO, it’s important to note that the creation of robotic dogs results from collaborative efforts from many engineers and researchers in robotics and artificial intelligence. These robotic dogs continue to evolve and are now produced by various companies worldwide.
Is the robot dog an AI?
AI researchers have harnessed a simplified machine learning approach to bring a real-world “robodog” to life, equipping it with the unprecedented ability to leap, climb, crawl, and navigate through physical obstacles with exceptional agility.
Which robot dog is famous?
Muffit II, known as Daggit in Battlestar Galactica, and Preston, the robot dog featured in the 1995 animated film A Close Shave starring Wallace and Gromit, share a unique connection. The creative genius of Bob Baker masterminded both K-9 and Preston. Rags, Miles Monroe’s beloved pet in Woody Allen’s classic film Sleeper, showcases an extraordinary ability—he converses with a human voice while adding charming woofs to the conversation.
