Sony ERS-311 AIBO Life User manual

R
4-658-006-11(1)
English
Français
Deutsch

Notice to Users
©2001 Sony Corporation All rights
reserved. This manual and the software
described herein, in whole or in part, may
not be reproduced, translated or reduced
to any machine-readable form without
prior written approval.
EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH
IN THE END-USER LICENSE
AGREEMENT, SONY CORPORATION
PROVIDES THIS MANUAL, THE
SOFTWARE AND THE OTHER
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN
“AS IS” WITH NO WARRANTY AND
HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY,
NONINFRINGEMENT OR FITNESS FOR
ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH
REGARD TO THIS MANUAL, THE
SOFTWARE, OR SUCH OTHER
INFORMATION. IN NO EVENT SHALL
SONY CORPORATION BE LIABLE FOR
ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL,
OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER
BASED ON TORT, CONTRACT, OR
OTHERWISE ARISING OUT OF OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS MANUAL,
THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN
OR THE USE THEREOF.
THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR
STATUTORY RIGHTS.
Sony Corporation reserves the right to
make any modification to this manual or
the information contained herein at any
time without notice.
The software described herein may also
be governed by the terms of a separate
user license agreement.
This product contains software owned by
Sony Corporation and licensed from third
parties. Use of such software is subject to
the terms and conditions of license
agreements enclosed with this product.
Software specifications are subject to
change without notice and may not
necessarily be identical to current retail
versions.
2
En

Before using this software, please read the accompanying End-User License
Agreement which governs use of this software.
13
• This software or document is protected by copyright, and distributed under
licenses restricting its use, copying, and distribution. No part of this software or
document may be reproduced in any form by any means and rental of this
software may not be allowed without prior authorization of Sony Corporation.
• Sony Corporation assumes no responsibility for any inconvenience caused by
misuse or any use not stated in this document.
• The supplied software cannot be used with any device other than those devices
specified herein.
• The specifications of the supplied software are subject to change without notice.
En

4
Customer Support
How to contact the AIBO Customer Link.
In the United States and Canada
1-800-427-2988 (USA)
Email address: [email protected].com
In Europe
English line: [phone]
German line: [phone]
French line: [phone]
Email address: [email protected]
In Hong Kong
Sony style
Tel: [phone]
E-mail address: [email protected].com.hk

5
“OPEN-R” is the standard interface for the entertainment robot
system that Sony is actively promoting. This interface expands the
capability of the entertainment robot through a flexible combination
of hardware and interchangeable software to suit various applications.
“AIBO” ERS-311/312 and “AIBO-ware” ERF-310AW01E conform
to OPEN-R version 1.1.1 (software specifications).
“AIBO,” the AIBO logo , “OPEN-R” and the OPEN-R logo are registered
trademarks of Sony Corporation.
“Memory Stick,” “ ” and “ ” are trademarks of Sony
Corporation.
In this manual, the “™” and “®” marks have been omitted.
Other information about AIBO is available on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.aibo.com/
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All
rights reserved.

6
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Checking the supplied accessories ............................................................. 10
About “AIBO Life” .................................................................................... 11
About AIBO-ware........................................................................... 11
AIBO’s autonomous activities ........................................................ 12
AIBO is a robot. Why does it have to be educated? ....................... 13
Modes and conditions of AIBO ...................................................... 14
Playing with AIBO in Autonomous mode/Station mode................ 16
Emotions of AIBO .......................................................................... 24
Instincts of AIBO............................................................................ 25
Getting to know AIBO................................................................................ 27
Living with AIBO
ChargingAIBO’s battery pack ................................................................... 32
When you want to charge AIBO..................................................... 32
When AIBO wants to be charged ................................................... 34
Sleeping and waking up.............................................................................. 35

7
Communicating with AIBO
From you to AIBO ...................................................................................... 40
Communicating by touch................................................................ 40
Communicating for training AIBO ................................................. 41
Communicating visually ................................................................. 43
Communicating by voice ................................................................ 44
Helping AIBO to get up .................................................................. 45
From AIBO to you ...................................................................................... 46
Lights .............................................................................................. 46
Body language ................................................................................ 50
Sounds ............................................................................................ 52
From AIBO to AIBO .................................................................................. 53
Raising AIBO
Growing up ................................................................................................. 56
Baby stage....................................................................................... 57
Child stage ...................................................................................... 59
Adolescence.................................................................................... 60
Adult stage ...................................................................................... 61
Finding out AIBO’s maturing stages and character........................ 62
Learning...................................................................................................... 63
Teaching what is good and what is bad (breeding) ........................ 63
Learning its name ........................................................................... 64
Learning actions ............................................................................. 66

8
For more information about “AIBO” ERS-311/312 (name of parts, settings,
“Memory Stick” use, safety precautions, etc.), refer to the “AIBO” ERS-311/
312 Operating Instructions.
Training........................................................................................... 70
Playing with AIBO
Having AIBO take a photo ......................................................................... 76
Playing with sounds.................................................................................... 80
Mimicking ...................................................................................... 80
Have AIBO hum a melody ............................................................. 80
Have AIBO emit a melody ............................................................. 81
Turn on AIBO step.......................................................................... 81
Have AIBO sing a song .................................................................. 81
Additional Information
Notes on use ............................................................................................... 84
Troubleshooting .......................................................................................... 86
Reference Materials
Words apprehensible to AIBO .................................................................... 90
Maturing stages .......................................................................................... 94
What can AIBO do at each maturing stage?............................................... 96

Getting Started
Welcome to “AIBO Life,” a software application that helps you to raise
your AIBO ERS-310 series into an entertainment robot that is just
right for you.
This chapter provides basic information about AIBO to help you to get
along well with AIBO.
* In this manual, “AIBO Life” ERF-310AW01E is referred to as
“AIBO Life” hereinafter.

10
Checking the supplied accessories
Check to see if you have the following accessories before you play with AIBO.
xAIBO-ware “Memory Stick”
xUser’s Guide (this manual)
xQuick Guide
xEnd-User License Agreement

11
Getting Started
About “AIBO Life”
About AIBO-ware
AIBO-ware is software that can be executed with AIBO. AIBO by itself is just a
“physical body,” and is capable of only the most basic movements.
For more complicated operations, you must use an AIBO-ware “Memory Stick.”
AIBO-ware gives AIBO its capabilities and character, so you might think of it as
AIBO’s “mind.” By combining AIBO with different AIBO-ware and peripheral
devices, you can enjoy AIBO in a variety of ways.
“AIBO Life” is AIBO-ware
that allows AIBO to move
around autonomously and
helps you to raise AIBO into
the kind of companion that is
best for you.

12
AIBO’s autonomous activities
AIBO comes with all the necessary hardware, such as a brain, sensors, motors, and
power supply, to move about on its own. AIBO Life has a set of emotions,
instincts, learning ability and the capacity to mature. ThroughAIBO Life,AIBO
can act according to its own judgments, all the while expressing emotions,
collecting information from you and its environment, learning and maturing.
With AIBO Life, AIBO will let you know by gesture and sound when it wants you
to play with it, and may even call your name. On the other hand, when something
catches AIBO’s attention, it may ignore you even when you call its name. Your
understanding of AIBO’s autonomous character helps you to enjoy playing with
and living with AIBO.

13
Getting Started
AIBO is a robot. Why does it have to be
educated?
The reason is that AIBO was born to live together with people. AIBO is capable of
autonomous action based on external information from its various sensors and from
internal motivations (i.e. its emotions and instincts.) Nevertheless, AIBO will not
be too self-centered and will always entertain you.
AIBO Life gives AIBO the capacity to learn and mature so that it can react to your
actions and its surroundings. For example, if you talk and play with AIBO a lot,
AIBO will grow to be sociable. If you prefer to simply watch AIBO, AIBO will
become independent and wander around as it waits for you to play with it.
In short, AIBO Life makes it possible for AIBO to adjust to you as it lives with you
and matures.
We hopeAIBO will become a good friend.

14
Modes and conditions of AIBO
Autonomous mode
Pause mode
(Inactive condition)
Gently shake the body of AIBO.
Something is caught any of AIBO’s
joints.
AIBO moves around
on its own: basic
mode of AIBO.
Press the pause button located
on the back of AIBO.AIBO is
turned off.
Lift AIBO up or push its tail switch in the back
direction for 3 seconds while lifting it up.
Place AIBO on the floor or push the tail
switch in the front direction for 3 seconds
after placing AIBO on the floor.
Push the tail switch in the front direction for 3
seconds.
Say
“Good night” to AIBO, or turn around the
tail switch three times (in any direction).
The mode
indicator
goes off.
The mode
indicator
lights.
Push the tail switch
in the right
direction for 3
seconds.
Push the tail switch
in the front
direction for 3
seconds.
Rest mode
AIBO stops moving around.
The back
light turns
off.

15
Getting Started
Station mode
Jam condition
Station
Sleep mode
When you lift up
AIBO, it becomes
still and quiet in this
mode.
AIBO sleeps in this mode.
The joints of AIBO
become loose when
something gets caught
in them.
Pick-up condition AIBO plays even on the Station.
The mode
indicator
lights.
The back light flashes
in green slowly. The mode
indicator
goes off.
The mode
indicator
flashes.
Place AIBO on
the Station.
Place AIBO on
the Station.
Move AIBO
from the
Station.
Stand (supplied
accessory) Energy Station
Core (optional
accessory)
The mode
indicator
goes off.
+
Tail switch
Rest mode
Pick-up condition (when lifted up)
Autonomous mode

16
Playing with AIBO in Autonomous mode/
Station mode
When AIBO is in Autonomous mode, it can play with you or another AIBO.
You can teach AIBO its
name or your name (see
page 64).
Teaching the name
AIBO responds to another AIBO
when talked from it, and then
tries to communicate with it (see
page 53).
You can teach AIBO
a desired action (see
page 66).
Training
You can train AIBO so that it acts
as you instruct. After training,
you can name the instructed
action and register it also (see
page 70).
What can AIBO do in
Autonomous mode?
Teaching AIBO a desired
action (action registration)
Communication
between AIBO The horn light slowly
flashes light blue.
The horn
light
flashes
blue.
The horn
light lights up
green.
The horn light
lights up orange.

17
Getting Started
When you give the
appropriate signal to
AIBO with your voice,
AIBO snaps a picture
for you (see page 76).
AIBO can sing a song or emit
various sounds (see page 80).
Taking a photo The horn
light flashes
blue.
Playing with the
voice/sound of AIBO
What can AIBO do in
Station mode?
You can enjoy playing with the voice/
sound of AIBO (see page 80) in Rest
mode or Pick-up condition also.

18
Autonomous mode
This is AIBO’s basic mode when “AIBO Life” is loaded to it. When you start up
AIBO Life, AIBO enters Autonomous mode first.
AIBO obtains information on its surroundings through its camera/microphone/
sensors, and carries out various autonomous actions based on its instincts or
emotion as follows.
• When you talk to AIBO, it stops moving and listens to you.
• When you leave AIBO without talking to it, it looks around tediously or takes an
exercise slowly.
• AIBO dozes off to sleep when it feels tired.
• AIBO will explore the room.
• AIBO reacts keen to a pink ball or moving objects: for example, looks at it from
a distance or tries to touch it.
• AIBO responds to another AIBO when spoken to, and tries to communicate with
it.
See page 16 for what kind of games you can do with AIBO in Autonomous mode.
Notes
• Do not put AIBO on an unstable surface where it might fall or be subject to vibrations.
• Do not place anything near AIBO that may hinder it in its movements.

19
Getting Started
Rest mode
When you play with AIBO in a small place, or when you do
not want AIBO to move around, put AIBO into this mode. In
this mode, AIBO stops walking around.
Push the tail switch in the right direction for 3 seconds. The
mode indicator lights and AIBO lies down or sits down, and
then carries out autonomous actions. However, AIBO cannot
carry out the following actions:
• Taking a photo
• Learning a name
• Learning an action
• Training
• Communicating with another AIBO
If you want to use any of the functions above, push the tail switch in the front
direction for 3 seconds to enter AIBO to Autonomous mode.
Notes
• Do not put AIBO on an unstable surface where it might fall or be subject to vibrations.
• Do not place anything near AIBO that may hinder it in its movements.

20
Sleep mode
In Sleep mode, AIBO sleeps, and the back light slowly
flashes green. See page 35 for details of Sleep mode.
Note
Do not put AIBO on the stand when it is in Sleep mode. When
it wakes up and starts moving on its own, it may fall down or
may be damaged.
Jam condition
If something gets jammed in any of the joints of AIBO, AIBO changes to this
condition and all of its joints become loose. This mode is provided to protect you
from your fingers being caught between the joints of AIBO, then injured. The
mode indicator flashes. To returnAIBO to Autonomous mode, place it on the floor
and push the tail switch in the forward direction for 3 seconds.