i-Cybie Preservation Project (i-Preserve-Cybie)

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i-Cybie (爱赛比) 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 robot can autonomously recharge its batteries using a special docking station that sold seperately for 2000-2004 models. I-Cybie was the first mass-produced toy that used advanced voice recognition technology.

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i-Cybie's Features:

i-Cybie has 16 built-in motors which allow 16 degrees of freedom. There are three CPU’s—the main Toshiba TMP91C815F for motion control and for mood calculation, a SunPlus Technology CPU used for audio playback, and an RSC 364 used for voice recognition and recording. i-Cybie is constructed using 1400 parts, and more than 90 feet of wire. The robot uses a suite of sensors to determine mood and behavior.

Dimensions --
Height: 11 inches (28 cm)
Width: 8 inches (20 cm)
Length: 12 inches (30 cm)
Weight: about 4 pounds (1.8 kg)
Light Sensor (nose)— for motion detection in "guard" mode.
Infrared Obstacle Detector (chest array)—for collision avoidance and edge detection. The chest array is also used to communicate with other toys (robo-chi, i-Cybie) and for receiving remote commands.
Touch Sensors (back button, head button, nose button)— influence the i-Cybie's moods and behavior.
Microphones (4)—three microphones are used to hear sharp sounds and one is used to discriminate voice. The robot can localize the direction of a sharp sound and move towards it. I-Cybies can recognize spoken commands and respond in a specific manner. Voice recognition features biometric authentication. Voice recognition is activated by the head contact sensor or by the remote control unit.
Orientation Sensor—the robot can detect whether it has fallen over. The orientation sensor also contributes to the robot's mood.
Encoders (12)- three per leg, position legs.
Dynamic Drive feedback-it can sense when its limbs are jammed and take action to free itself.
Light Sensor (back)— for use in mood and behavior calculations. The light sensor can also detect petting and can initiate behavior.

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Basic Functions:

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i-Cybies can be programmed to respond to the voice commands of a specific user. Voice control is a form of speech recognition that is "speaker dependent". The RSC 300/364 microcontroller can process commands in any spoken language and features biometric authentication. There are 8 voice commands listed in the manual allowing the user to initiate 8 different behavior categories. In addition to voice, i-Cybies can hear sharp sounds and localize the general direction of the source. It can also count the number of hand claps given in clap command mode (play mode) and respond with the same number of barks. i-Cybie can also detected when it has fallen over and automatically stand back up. It has the ability to detect when it is in a confined space or if it has become snagged against an obstacle. i-Cybie can "see" movement when in guard mode (motion detection) using a light sensor in its nose and it can also detect ambient light levels and movement using a light sensor in its back. i-Cybie uses several gaits for walking and among its numerous actions it can sit, roll on its side, and stand on its head. Other features include edge detection (a special mode) and collision avoidance. i-Cybie can detect its battery charge and will shut down when battery power is low or if equipped with a Walk Up Charger and programmable cartridge it will automatically seek out its charger and recharge itself.

i-Cybie uses five states or "moods" to determine autonomous behavior: happy, sad, sleepy, sick, and hyper. Moods are calculated based upon the cumulative count of interactions derived from the sensors. Users can tell the current mood/state by eye color, posture and type of behavior (i.e. yawning when sleepy or peeing when sick). I-Cybie is advertised as developing or evolving according to the environment and user treatment.

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i-Cybie accepts signals from an infrared remote control unit (RCU) and was designed to “communicate” with Silverlit's robo-chi toys by transmitting and receiving IR signals using its chest array. There are several modes that are specific to the remote including play, stay, and guard mode. The remote is also used for "training" the robotic toy's voice recognition feature and for setting the pause mode.