It's amazing how far robotics have advanced in the past decade thanks to companies like Boston Dynamics. Having a robotic companion is no longer a fantasy of science fiction, since Sony's AIBO launched in 1999, inspiring a wave of futuristic Fidos such as Zoomer and WowWee CHiP. But with so many robot dogs available online, which pup should you pick? Our buying guide is here to help you out, ranking the top ten options to buy on Amazon, eBay, and John Lewis!

13 MILITARY & RESEARCH
ROBOTIC DOGS


1. BigDog
BigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped military robot that was created in 2005 by Boston Dynamics, now owned by SoftBank Group, with Foster-Miller, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Harvard University Concord Field Station. It was funded by DARPA, but the project was shelved after the BigDog was deemed too loud for combat. This robotic dog is capable of traversing varied terrain and maintaining its balance on ice and snow.


2. LittleDog
Around 2010 LittleDog was released, it's a small quadruped robot developed for DARPA by Boston Dynamics for research. Unlike BigDog, which is run by Boston Dynamics, LittleDog is intended as a testbed for other institutions. Boston Dynamics maintains the robots for DARPA as a standard platform. LittleDog has four legs, each powered by three electric motors. The legs have a large range of motion. The robot is strong enough for climbing and dynamic locomotion gaits. The onboard PC-level computer does sensing, actuator control and communications. LittleDog's sensors measure joint angles, motor currents, body orientation and foot and ground contact. Control programs access the robot through the Boston Dynamics Robot API. Onboard lithium polymer batteries allow for 30 minutes of continuous operation without recharging. Wireless communications and data logging support remote operation and data analysis. LittleDog development is funded by the DARPA Information Processing Technology Office


3. Rhex
RHex is an autonomous robot design, based on hexapod with compliant legs and one actuator per leg. A number of US universities have participated, with funding grants also coming from DARPA. Versions have shown good mobility over a wide range of terrain types at speeds exceeding five body lengths per second (2.7 m/s), climbed slopes exceeding 45 degrees, swims, and climbs stairs.


4. Canid
Quadruped with a flexible spine created by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and UPenn. For mobile robots, the essential units of actuation, computation, and sensing must be designed to fit within the body of the robot. Additional capabilities will largely depend upon a given activity, and should be easily reconfigurable to maximize the diversity of applications and experiments.


5. Cheetah
DARPA M3 program with a Boston Dynamics hydraulic quadruped and the MIT created electric Cheetah. The new mini cheetah robot is springy and light on its feet, with a range of motion that rivals a champion gymnast. The four-legged powerpack can bend and swing its legs wide, enabling it to walk either right-side up or upside down. The robot can also trot over uneven terrain about twice as fast as an average person's walking speed. Weighing in at just 20 pounds - lighter than some Thanksgiving turkeys, the limber quadruped is no pushover: When kicked to the ground, the robot can quickly right itself with a swift, kung-fu-like swing of its elbows. Perhaps most impressive is its ability to perform a 360-degree backflip from a standing position. Researchers claim the mini cheetah is designed to be "virtually indestructible," recovering with little damage, even if a backflip ends in a spill.


6. HyQ
Hydraulic quadruped robot able to run up to 2 m/s, developed by the Advanced Robotics Department of the IIT (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia). The most recent results about the newest version of the hydraulic quadruped robot, HyQReal. They completed the design, assembly and testing of the HyQReal, which has demonstrated that it is capable of pulling an airplane for more than 10 meters. The HyQReal is developed to support humans in emergency scenarios. HyQReal is 1,33 m long and 90 cm tall, and its weight is 130kg. The robot is protected by an aluminum roll cage and a skin made of Kevlar, glass fiber and plastic. The quadruped has custom-made feet made in special rubber for high traction on the ground and is equipped with a 48 Volt battery which powers four electric motors connected to four hydraulic pumps. The robot has two onboard computers: one dedicated to vision and one to control.


7. SCARAB
Climbing and walking quadruped robot FSU


8. Rise
Hexapod


9. Titan
Several versions of this quadruped were created


10. MR4
Quadruped robot


11. Scout I & II


12. Silo


13. Cheeter






26 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
ROBOTIC DOGS


1. AIBO (Sony)
AIBO (stylized aibo, Artificial Intelligence Robot, "pal" or "partner" in Japanese) is a series of robotic dogs designed and manufactured by Sony. Sony announced a prototype Aibo in mid-1998. The first consumer model was introduced on 11 May 1999. New models were released every year until 2006. Although most models were dogs, other inspirations included lion-cubs or huskies / jack-russel terrier / bull terrier, and space explorer, and only the ERS-7 version, ERS-110/111 and ERS-1000 versions was explicitly a "robotic dog", but the 210 can also be considered a dog due to its jack-russel terrier appearance and cute puppy face.


2. Big Scratch & Little Scratch (Trendmasters)
Big Scratch, the large size robotic puppy and Lil scratch and an IR remote controller. They have 6modes of play and fun, Walk, Shake hands, Sit, Lay Down, Scratch Flea and the Play mode. When walking, Lil Scratch follows his larger counterpart loyally and faithfully. The cyber canine craze continues this year with the release of Big Scratch and Lil' Scratch - Trendmasters' newest Cyber-Pets. These power pooches have the fine distinction of being the only toy pets to come with their very own dancing Cyber Fleas.


3. Build Your Own Robo Pup
Discovery Kids Build Your Own Robo Pup Model Robot Toy Kit: Sound and Touch Activated Walking, Barking, Moving Light-Up Robotic Puppy Dog.


4. Bow-wow
Bow Wow Buddies St Bernard Remote Control Robot Dog Plush Toy RC Walking Robotic Dog.


5. Gaylord
By Ideal Toy Company - Robotic dog controllable by leash, produced in the 1960s. Long before Sony's AIBO robotic dog hit the scene, Ideal released Gaylord the Pup, a mechanical pet. Gaylord hit store shelves in late 1962, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Made of rigid plastic, Gaylord is 23-inches long and 7-inches high. He is painted to resemble a Bassett Hound, complete with sad eyes and droopy ears made of brown felt. A heavy-duty motor that operates on 4 D-cell batteries is embedded within his body. Gaylord's movements are controlled by attaching and gently tugging on his leash. When activated, he can walk slowly backward and forwards and even make his way up a shallow incline or two. Gaylord is also able to pick up and carry a plastic bone in his mouth, thanks to a hidden magnet. The toy's packaging doubles as a dog house, allowing him to be suitably stored when not in use.


6. Genibo
Robotic dog produced by the Korean company Dasatech. The Genibo QD is an autonomous pet robot, similar in concept to Sony's "ERS-7" Aibo, but was created to be much more dog-like in appearance and behavior. Modeled to resemble a Bull Terrier, the Genibo QD can identify itself and the surroundings using its sensors, camera, and voice commands and share feelings with the user. With input information, it forms "Emotion / Mood / Intelligence / Character / Intimacy" to feature unique character and AI. The Genibo QD is capable of understanding over 100 voice commands - such as "sit", "come here" and "do a headstand", and has the ability to praise or scold the dog using the touch sensors located on its head, back and flank. The dogs mood will change according to user interaction and can express happiness, pleasure, sadness, surprise, anger, boredom and sleepiness. The Genibo QD comes with PC Control Manager software that allows you to see a live view of what the dog is seeing, take photos, create skits/dance routines, record voice memos, MP3 playback, and set alarms.


7. I-Cybie
i-Cybie is a robotic pet that resembles a dog. It was manufactured by Silverlit Toys Manufactory Ltd Hong Kong from 2000 to 2006. i-Cybie was developed for commercial distribution by Tiger Electronics. Outrageous International Hong Kong distributed the electronic pet from 2005 to 2006. The i-Cybie robotic dog responds to sound, touch, movement, and voice commands. The toy robot can autonomously recharge its batteries using a special docking station. I-Cybie was the first mass-produced toy that used advanced voice recognition technology.


8. iDog
The iDog was a robot dog toy designed and manufactured by Sega Toys. An iDog figure receives input from an external music source, such as an MP3 player, and will light up and "dance" to the music's rhythm. The iDog reacts to music from an external source, such as an external speaker or through a direct connection to a music source such as an MP3 player. It features seven flashing LED lights on its face and has the ability to "dance" to the beat of the music by intermittently wiggling its ears and shaking its head. It also has a number of switches on its nose, head and tail which allow it to react to user input. It has various emotions, which change based on user interaction that provide different color patterns on its LED lights.


9. Lucky
The Incredible Wonder Pup (Zizzle) - You have never had a pet, or a toy, like this. The Sakadachi Lucky Puppy from Sega Toys responds to 13 different voice commands - not only the basics like "come" and "lie down," but also "sing" and "headstand." The headstand is Sakadachi Lucky's signature move, as sakadachi is the Japanese word for "headstand." The clever toy dog can also bark Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The Sakadachi Lucky Puppy is part of Sega Toys sell-out line of toys that employ modern voice recognition and robotics without sacrificing the cute and cuddly factor.


10. Mio Pup
Robotic Pup by Tiger Electronics - The Mio Pup is an interactive companion that uses Emototronic technology to show you how he's feeling through 100+ "eye-con" images that light up in his eyes. When you touch Mio Pup's sensors he will show you how much he likes to be pet and played with by wiggling his ears, wagging his tail, and even playing his own Mio Pup tunes. When your Mio Pup gets hungry, "feed" him his bone and he holds it in his mouth. Take it away too early, and your Mio Pup pet will let you know. Talk to your Mio Pup and he "babbles" back. Tickle his chin and he will strut with his own moves.


11. Poo-Chi
Poo-Chi (or Poochi, Poochie), one of the first generations of robopet toys, is a robot dog designed by Samuel James Lloyd and Matt Lucas, manufactured by Sega Toys, and distributed by Tiger Toys. Poo-Chi was released in 2000 and discontinued in 2002 by Tiger Electronics.


12. Robopet
Your personal robot dog Robopet is a naturally active robot with strong personality and a mind of his own. When you turn him on he will autonomously explore his enviroment and perform actions and tricks as he wanders around. You can train his behavior with the training buttons on the remote controller. You can also directly control his actions and even program him. Robopet TM can be guided around using "laser" targeting. Robopet is equipted with multiple sensors that allow him to explore his enviroment and respond to human instructions. Robopet can detect sharp, loud sounds. Robopet used his vision sensors to avoid obstacles while wandering around. Robopet has additional sensors to detect the edge of table when he is walking. He will make a small cry and back up. Robopet TM by Wow Wee Ltd.


13. Rocket the Wonder Dog
Fisher-Price's Rocket the Wonder Dog! Rocket the Wonder Dog electromechanical robotic puppy, responds only to its owner's voice. An IC preprogrammed with motion sequences lets him walk, pant, scratch fleas, and move his eyes and eyebrows. Sensors on Rocket's legs, neck, and eyes track his position for each motion. This interactive robot puppy has advanced voice recognition technology. You can set Rocket on advanced where he listens to your commands and performs them and will even only listen to your voice and ignore anyone else's commands. Some of the features of Rocket are: Does tricks like sit, beg, bark, amazingly expressive eyes, pants, eats, barks and burps too. Scratches for fleas and wags his tail. Stands on his head and sings. Can sense and respond to your touch. Give him a new name and he will recognize it.


14. Smartpet
Robot dog that uses an iPhone to be powered. Bandai, the creator of the original Tamagotchi, has announced another big move into the world of electronic animal care with Smartpet - a robot dog that uses your iPhone as a brain. Controlled via a free app, Smartpet will react to your touchscreen gestures with over 100 facial expressions, and you can make it do tricks by voice commands or movements in front of the Facetime camera. As the pet gets more emotionally attached to you it will learn more reactions, and it can also sing and dance with other dogs via Bluetooth. It's not all fun and games, though, as Smartpet also functions as an alarm clock and handsfree phone.


15. Space Dog
This metal remoted-controlled "space dog" is a tin toy manufactured in Japan for export to Western markets. A boxed clockwork tin dog. The dog is silver all over with patterns on it that look like metal rivets. It has a rectangular body and square head with a semi circle muzzle. Its lower jaw is movable and held at the sides by a rivet. It has a red button nose and blue plastic acrylic domes for eyes with small black beads in side. He has a hoop antenna and red rectangle flaps for ears. On is back he has a rectangle of red plastic and a spring for a tail with a red bauble at the end. A key is in his front right leg area. The box has a plain card bottom and printed top. On top of the box the text reads, Wind up motor Space dog, Trade mark KO, Made in Japan, with a picture of the dog in a giant scale in a lunar landscape with two small astronauts. On the side is the text, Wind up Motor Space Dog, Sparking,Wobbling, ears flapping, pull the antenna to make him go after wound up. The picture is of the dog with arrows showing how to lift and push his antenna.


16. Spotbot
Retro style robotic dog. Put a battery in and make him squirk. The cutest robot dog ever. He wags and chases his tail, shake his head, runs foward, and bumps his nose and changes direction.


17. Tekno
Tekno the Robotic Puppy (also known as Teksta the Robotic Puppy) was a popular electronic robotic toy which originally launched in late 2000. Tekno sold over 7 million units in its first season and went on to sell over 40 million units in its original 4 years of production. The worldwide popularity for Tekno led to prominent awards and widespread media coverage which included newspaper articles, television and film appearances, and a stand-alone feature on the cover of Time magazine. With over 160 emotions and functions, Tekno the Robotic Puppy captured the imagination of parents and kids by offering a special technological peek into the future. Children could enjoy the companionship and playfulness of a real pet without the daily care giving burdens.



Tekno's basic functions included walking, barking, eating, and sleeping, and special motor sensors enabled emotional and lifelike intelligence. It could be "taught" to respond to voice commands and to perform real dog tricks such as fetching, whining, and playing tricks with the included bone and ball accessories. Smart light sensor technology also gave Tekno the ability to understand visual commands and to react to environmental stimuli, even knowing when to go to sleep on its own. Since 2013, the new Teksta was released by Character Toys in the UK, and Tekno is controlled by a smart device like iPad, Android phone, and Windows Phone 8. As of 2016, a 5th Generation version will be slated to be released.


18. Teksta
Popular in the 1990s, this toy was intended to be able to perform card tricks and respond to commands. This small robot dog from Tekno Robotics looks just like a small space dog! The robot dog reacts to sound and hand movements. Teksta can learn to walk, sit, bark, make somersaults, wag and move his head. Infrared technology ensures that you can connect several Teksta puppies to each other. See how they react to each other! You can send and program the Teksta robot puppy using an app that you can install on your tablet or smartphone. This app also allows the dog to call its friends. The 5th Generation Voice Recognition Puppy is the first Teksta Puppy who actually listens and understands you. This life-like robotic puppy responds to your voice, physical gestures, touch, and sounds.



You can tell your robot pet to sit, walk, cry, sing, and even do a back flip. Program Teksta to do even more tricks with an Apple iPad or Tablet for Android. Listens to you: Teksta listens and understands your voice commands. Touch sensitive: he happily pants when you pet him. Gesture control: understands your hand gestures. Programmable: program Teksta to do even more tricks with an apple iPad or tablet for Android. Loves to play: he loves to play with his favorite ball! feed him his bone. He is a hungry puppy!


19. Wappy Dog
Wappy Dog is a robot dog that will be delivered with a new game for Nintendo DS. The dog can communicate with the DS game in question and responds to actions in the game. It doesn't work via Wi-Fi or any other wireless technology, but simply via sound. The Wappy Dog responds to special beeps that come out of the DS speakers while playing. Your Wappy Dog has its own identity that you can import into the game, so you always have Wappy with you. You can play all kinds of mini-games with Wappy Dog. If you win or lose, Wappy will respond. In the DS game you can also provide Wappy with all kinds of accessories and see it grow from puppy to adult dog. By the way, Wappy can also respond to your own voice and movements.


20. Wrex the Dawg
Wrex The Dawg is the junkyard dog that looks like he was made from spare parts and a truly zany imagination. With two legs in front and two wheels in the back Wrex The Dawg can happily zip around your home in autonomous mode, or obey your commands for hours of play fun using the included remote control. Wrex The Dawg has three modes of behavior: Happy, Angry and Crazy. He also has three bodily desires that he needs fulfilled: Exercise, Hunger, and you guessed it, Call Of Nature. His wacky slot-machine eyes express his current mood and he can avoid obstacles and edges with his infrared sensors. Be warned, he has a fairly disobedient nature and is prone to behavior malfunctions!


21. Zoomer & Friends
Zoomer is the perfect family pet! Zoomer is an interactive puppy with multiple sensors that enable him to behave just like a real dog. Of course, like any puppy or kid! Zoomer might not always listen the first time if he is feeling rambunctious. He is all the fun of a family pet without the mess, vaccinations and responsibility. Can learn dozens of different tricks. If you press the button on Zoomer's back, he will reward you with a random trick - easy and fun to train.


22. Tombot
A robotic companion animal designed to be a viable option to a real dog for dementia patients. This is Robotic animal that transform the daily lives of individuals, families, and communities facing health adversities.


23. Joinmax
Digital Robot Dog
Offered as a semi-assembled kit - no soldering required, at $331, it offers a 15 servo-based impressive freedom of motion. Control is possible through a serial connection to the included controller board, or through simple commands sequences stored in memory. This robotic dog kit includes all of the components you need to build your own robot dog. In total, this robot has 15 degrees of freedom: the three degrees of freedom in each leg allow you to create life-like gaits, the tail has one degree of freedom for ample wagging, and the neck can rotate and nod up and down to really bring the robot to life. Once you have mastered the basic four-legged walking gaits, sitting, and standing back up, you can explore the robot's hidden talents such as rolling over and then going into a head stand. With all mechanical components, a custom 16-servo controller, PC software, and a download cable included, this robotic canine kit is very complete: the only thing you need to add is five standard, AA size batteries. NiMH cells are recommended because of the high current consumption of the robot.


24. WowWee Chip
CHiP is an intelligent, affectionate robot dog. With advanced sensors and smart accessories, CHiP is always aware, and ready to play. How you respond uniquely shapes his behavior, so there's no CHiP like your CHiP.


25. Dackel Dog Robot Ycoo
Dackel is the new pet that will delight the whole family. Fun, remote-controlled and above all extensible with its accordion body, the Dackel dog robot will quickly become your children's best friend. This robot dog has nothing to envy to the real ones: he is remote controlled but can also follow his master, run after the ball or even follow the movements of your hands. A high-tech toy robot that will never cease to amaze you and with which children will be able to play for many years to come. The robot dog Dackel is certainly cute but also extensible, very extensible. His accordion body can stretch 40 centimetres, which will allow him to go everywhere but also to create fun interactions with children when he chases after his ball. Dackel can run after a ball that can be used as a remote control: choose to direct it from a distance or let the dog run after his "baball".


26. Flip over dogs
There are many examples of many flip-over dogs designed to look like robots, such as F.I.D.O and Sparky.






42 FICTION & FANTASY
ROBOTIC DOGS


1. AMEE (Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion)
a military scouting robot with dog like characteristics in the 2000 film Red Planet.


2. A.R.F
a robotic dog from Puppy Dog Pals.


3. A.X.L.
a robotic dog from the film of the same name.


4. Bhakti
Vanille's pet robot from Final Fantasy XIII.


5. Bolts
from Alexander Key's 1966 book, small dog whose head was so small the electronic brain needed to be trimmed.


6. C.H.O.M.P.S. (Canine Home Protection System)
in the eponymous film from 1979.


7. Cyber Mastiffs
used by the Adeptus Aribites in Warhammer 40,000.


8. Dog, Alyx's robotic pet
has several canine characteristics and was featured in the video games Half-life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, and Half-Life 2: Episode Two.


9. Dogbot
robot dog from the Ford Fiesta commercials.


10. Dynomutt
Blue Falcon's robotic dog from the animated Hanna-Barbera television show.


11. E-cyboPooch
briefly Professor Dr. Cinnamon J. Scudsworth's robot dog assistant in the 2002 animated show, Clone High. E-cybopooch ultimately reveals himself to be a double agent and is destroyed when Mr. Butlertron, Scudsworth's displaced former assistant, deflects a laser meant for Scudsworth with a pie.


12. Fix-it
a dog-like robot from the Disney Jr. show Handy Manny.


13. GIR
crazy alien robot who disguised himself as a green dog in the show Invader Zim.


14. Goddard
Goddard is Jimmy Neutron's robotic dog that Jimmy invented himself. He is loyal to Jimmy and often accompanies him on his adventures outside of school. Jimmy can call him whenever he wants from his phone. He has various features including self-propelled flight and can double as a rocket propelled bicycle-like transportation for Jimmy to ride, complete with handle bars. Jimmy often uses Goddard to help weigh options for his dilemmas, which Goddard displays on a computer monitor covered normally by his breastplate. He has mostly the disposition of a normal dog, but occasionally uses voice clips to communicate. Jimmy can have Goddard "play dead", which causes him to self-destruct. Despite being blown to pieces, Goddard can instantly reconstruct himself back to normal from the scrap without any assistance. This has become a running gag for him. He was named after the late famous American engineer.


15. K9
the Doctor's portable computer and robot, from the British BBC Television series Doctor Who, as well as the spin-offs K-9 and Company, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9.


16. Muffit
Daggit from Battlestar Galactica.


17. Preston
Wendolene's robot dog from the 1995 animated Wallace and Gromit film A Close Shave. Both K-9 and Preston were created by Bob Baker.


18. Rags
Miles Monroe's pet in the Woody Allen movie Sleeper, who speaks (and woofs) with a human voice.


19. Rat Thing
from Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash.


20. RIC
(Robotic Interactive Canine)
Power Rangers sidekick / weapon in Power Rangers Space Patrol Delta.


21. Robutt
from Isaac Asimov's short story "A Boy's Best Friend."


22. Robo-Dog
from PAW Patrol.


23. Rover
Lunar Jim's Robot dog
in the children's animation series of the same name.


24. Runner
a rather large robot in the shape of a dog, pet and loyal friend of Grubb, from the PC role-playing video game Septerra Core.


25. Rush and Treble
from the Mega Man classic series.


26. Rusty
from the 1960s Swift comic strip "The Phantom Patrol".


27. Wolf
from the 2013 Konami video game Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.


28. Serendipity Dog
from the 1960s / 70s BBC science-themed children's television series Tom Tom.


29. Slamhounds
robotic assassins in the novel Count Zero by William Gibson.


30. Sparkplug
the Sari's robot dog, like hasbro's toys in Transformers Animated.


31. In the Super NES
video game Secret of Evermore, the protagonist's pet dog takes the form of a robot in some areas.


32. The Mechanical Hound
a robotic hunter killer who serves the firemen as a scent hound in the book Fahrenheit 451. Its mouth conceals a syringe containing tranquilizers.


33. Toby
the robot dog who was the companion of Halo Jones in the classic comic story The Ballad of Halo Jones.


34. Yatterking, Yatterbull, and Yatteryokozun
three robotic dogs in Yatterman.


35. FENRIS Mechs
from Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, also a DLC dog companion in ME3n.


36. Rex from Fallout
New Vegas, a "cyberhound" that can be recruited as a companion from The King in Freeside.


37. K-9 from Fallout 2
a "cyberdog" who was created by Dr. Schreber, available as a companion upon the player repairing it.


38. Panzerhund
a deadly canine-looking robot employed by the Nazis in the Wolfenstein games from the 2009 soft reboot onward.


39. Servo
a transforming robot emergency-response dog from Transformers Rescue Bots.


40. The main villain of Kingsman
The Golden Circle (2017) has two deadly robot dogs she named Jet and Bennie after the song of her idol Elton John.


41. Metalhead
The 2017 Black Mirror episode "Metalhead" features a woman pursued by a deadly robotic dog, similar in design to the BigDog robot manufactured by Boston Dynamics.


42. Wes Anderson's
stop-motion animated feature Isle of Dogs features dog robots employed by the antagonists to assist their rescue teams and are later proposed as pets to replace real dogs.




ART & MUSIC ROBOTIC DOGS

In Art:

Fairfield Industrial Dog Object, FIDO large animated Fairfield Australian dog sculpture.

In Music:

MC Chris wrote a song named robotdog, describing his adventures with his robotic Aibo that takes over his life.