October 30, 2023

The first known robot pet, Sparko, was designed to look like a Scottish terrier. It was introduced at the 1940 World’s Fair in New York. Like a real dog, Sparko could walk, bark, wag its tail, and sit. But it was made of metal and connected to a power cord, so it wasn’t exactly cuddly. Though Sparko made headlines, it didn’t become a popular household pet.

Gary Dahl became a millionaire from an idea that started as a joke. The Pet Rock was exactly what it sounds like. For $3.95, customers got a smooth stone. It was packaged in a cardboard “pet carrier” that had breathing holes and a straw bed. Each rock came with an owner’s manual that explained how to care for the rock and teach it “tricks.”

One of the biggest toy fads of the 1990s was the virtual pet Tamagotchi. The Japanese toy company Bandai created the palm-sized toy. A Tamagotchi has a tiny screen that shows a digital egg that hatches into an alien pet. To stay alive, Tamagotchis need to be fed and cared for constantly. They became such a distraction for kids that many schools banned them. Still, Bandai has sold more than 83 million Tamagotchis worldwide.

Bandai’s next big virtual pet was Digimon, short for “Digital Monster.” The monsters were made to interact and play with other monsters. Two Digimon owners could connect their devices and battle against each other. The toy became so popular that Bandai made a whole Digimon universe. It includes video games, trading cards, animated shows, movies, and more.

Furby was a furry robotic creature designed to be a huggable friend for kids. The original version could talk with other Furbys in a language called Furbish. Over time, Furbys could learn English words.

The original Furby never turned off. It would start talking in the middle of the night—startling kids and annoying their parents. (Newer versions have an off switch.) Despite being creepy to some people, 58 million Furbys have been sold to date.

Sony created Aibo to be a battery-operated robotic dog that acted like a living animal. It could walk, make facial expressions, bark, growl, and wag its tail. Aibo was released online on June 1, 1999, and sold out in just 20 minutes.

Today’s versions of Aibo have more advanced artificial intelligence (AI). The pet can follow voice commands and develop its own personality over time.

Not all AI pets look like real animals. Take Moflin—it’s a small furball with eyes. It “learns” different movements and develops emotions as it interacts with its owner. Vanguard Industries, the company that creates Moflin, says it forms a special bond with its owner.