Sony will assist in locating a new home for its old robot dogs.

 Like dogs, robot dogs get older, and Sony has started a foster program for its Aibo line of robot dogs to help older robot pups find new homes.

The "Aibo foster parent program," a new sustainability initiative from Sony for its line of autonomous robot dogs called Aibo, will enable owners who have canceled their Aibo Cloud Plan to donate the robot pups to a good cause.

Robotic dogs can be donated to Sony via the "Aibo Foster Parent" scheme by owners whose basic plans have been canceled. These Aibos will then be repaired as required and given to hospitals, orphanages, and other organizations. The initiative seeks to strengthen Aibo's sustainability while giving those in need of it emotional support. Sony intends to improve the lives of those who engage with these robot canines by providing them with a second home.

Before giving ERS-1000 devices given to the program to medical facilities and nursing homes, it will test and repair them. According to Sony, these organizations may profit from Aibo-style emotional support robots. Sony claims that it wants to charge Aibo "foster parents" a cost for the service, which has not been announced, even though it won't be free. Depending on how well the donations were received, other Aibo units may need maintenance or repairs.

Aibo was designed to be an entertaining robot dog, but it contains features that might be used to provide emotional support, particularly for people who are frightened to engage with real dogs. These robot canines mimic the behavior of a dog, responding to voice, touch, and even a nose camera to help them identify family members. They can do tricks like standing on their hind legs and greeting their owner at the door, and they also get older over time like a real dog.