Bo is a concept social robot designed to serve the needs of independent senior adults aging in place. Bo serves three main functions, it offers companionship without maintenance, it is a communication tool between the user and their caretaker and loved ones, and it also provides peace of mind for the elderly and their family.

I designed Bo within a RISD design studio called “Aging in Place” in 2015. At that point in time, Sony discontinued Aibo and stopped support for it. I was inspired by an article about how former Aibo owners held funerals to mourn their broken robotic canine companions. In 2018, 3 years after I designed Bo, Sony launched a new Aibo.