ERS-210

ERS-210
2nd Generation
Release date: November 16, 2000
Discontinued: July 2001 to September 2003
Units produced: Estimated 60,000

The ERS-210 was released by Sony in 2000. It is the most widely produced AIBO and the first to use the second generation Aperios architecture.

History

At launch, the ERS-210 sold for $1,500 USD (not including tax), ¥150,000 JY (not including tax), and €1,500 Euro (not including tax). The ERS-210 was later available at a discounted $1,299 USD.

Design

The ERS-210 features a visor that serves as the face, along with 6 LEDs to show emotion. The camera is located where the nose would be, like many other models. The microphones are located on the sides of the face, and resemble whiskers. The robot's features a footprint of 6.06" (W) x 10.47" (H) x 10.79" (L) and weighs 3.3 lbs. (1.5kg). Although it was modeled on a Lion Cub by Sony, there were times where they referred to it as a dog. It can indeed be considered a dog due to it's short stumpy tail resembling that of a docked terrier or corgi tail, pointy ears. A defining characteristic of the AIBO ERS-210 is its short, stumpy tail. Cats are renowned for their long, flexible tails used for balance and communication. Although, some Sony developers had said that it was also designed to look like a Japanese Bobtail. In contrast, dogs often have shorter tails, making the AIBO's tail a more canine-like feature. AIBO's tail movements, such as tail wagging, are unmistakably dog-like behaviors. The AIBO ERS-210's movements further strengthen the argument for its canine identity. It exhibits behaviors like tail wagging, rolling over, and scooting, all of which are quintessentially dog-like actions. These movements reflect the loyalty, playfulness, and companionship commonly associated with dogs rather than the independent and sly nature of cats.

Function

Hardware

Processor	64-bit RISC processor
Memory	32MB
Inputs	PC Card Type III Charging terminal
Camera	100,000-pixel CMOS image sensor
Audio Input	Stereo microphones
Audio output	Speaker
Sensors	x1 Thermometric sensor x1 Infrared distance sensor x1 Acceleration sensor x2 Pressure-based sensors (head, chin), x2 Button sensors (Back, paws) x1 Vibration sensor
Degrees of freedom	Mouth: 1 degree of freedom Head: 3 degrees of freedom Leg: 3 degrees of freedom per leg Ear: 1 degree of freedom per ear Tail: 2 degrees of freedom (20 degrees of freedom in total)
Power consumption	Approx 9 W (in normal mode)
Power Source	7.4V (2300 mAh) Lithuim Ion Battery [ERA-201B]

Models

The ERS-210 sold the most units and as a result also had the most derivative models. It's success also gave birth to a similar, but separately released AIBO, the ERS-220. The ERS-210 was sold in a variety of colors- some limited edition, and some exclusive to the Supercore (read below) update. The first batch of ERS-210 AIBO robots were available in black (ERS-210/B), gold (ERS-210/N), and silver (ERS-210/S). These three colors were the standard for the ERS-210 and sold throughout the ERS-210's lifespan.

Supercore

Primarily utilized in the RoboCup competition series but produced en masse, Supercore refers to an updated core from the original ERS-210 and ERS-220 modules. Supercore AIBOs have an improved CPU clock speed of 384MHz, double that of the 192MHz the standard ERS-210 and ERS-220 models use. Supercore AIBOs are differentiated from their standard counterparts by two holographic stickers inside the battery compartment of the core. Performance differences are not particularly noticeable between Supercore and standard ERS-210s, although the difference is typically substantial when utilizing AIBO for software development.

Special Editions

Out of all the models, the 210 had the most colors and special editions.

In 2000, the original silver, black, and gold ERS-210's launched.
Special editions in 2001 began with Spring Orange and White, followed by 2nd anniversary Sapphire Violet, Mazeran Green, and Everest White.
In 2002, the My Select AIBO Sony release, as well as the Holiday Red and White AIBOs, finished the ERS-210's production before the final version in 2003, the Cyber Blue in celebration of AIBO's 4th anniversary.

Software

List of 2x AIBOWARE

Troubleshooting

See: Troubleshooting (2X)