Friedman, Batya, Peter H. Kahn Jr, and Jennifer Hagman. "Hardware companions? What online AIBO discussion forums reveal about the human-robotic relationship." Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems. 2003.

This study analyzed 6,438 spontaneous postings in online AIBO discussion forums to understand people's relationships with AIBO, a robotic pet. The findings revealed that AIBO psychologically engaged participants by evoking perceptions of technological essences (75%), life-like essences (49%), mental states (60%), and social rapport (59%). However, participants rarely attributed moral standing to AIBO, such as deserving respect or having rights. The discussion addresses how robotic pets may challenge traditional boundaries, extend concepts of self and companionship, and potentially replace interactions with live pets. There is also concern that people, especially children, may accept robotic pets without the moral responsibilities required in real companionship. This research contributes to the growing literature on human-robot relationships.