Takara Tomy i-SODOG Is a Cute Little Puppy Robot

The Japanese really have a thing for robots, some of which are better left unspoken. Others, though, are rather cute.

The one in that video above is called i-SODOG and was developed by Takara Tomy. It was unveiled at the Tokyo International Toy Show a short time ago.

It can be controlled directly by an iOS or Android app. If owners want to leave it to its own devices though, they can still get it to respond by pre-programming up to 50 voice cues.

That's right, this small robo-dog can perform fifty tricks. In fact, its basic artificial intelligence lets it learn and modify its behavior based on user commands.

The release is scheduled for Spring 2013. The price will be 31,500 yen ($400 / 317 Euro).