This robot dog knows how you're feeling

So you want a dog, but don't fancy rainy walks or picking up poop? Well, this robot might be the perfect pet for you.

Robot dogs have been around for a while - and although there is no substitute for a living, breathing, furry best friend - this latest creation has been specifically designed to understand human emotions.

Koda, the company that made the dog, has added an AI system that helps the robot to sense whether its owner is happy, sad or excited. Over time the dog is able to learn and train itself to respond to how humans are feeling.

As well as behaving as a friend, the robot can do important jobs, including working as a guide dog for the blind or visually impaired.

It can also learn how to be a guard dog, but Koda says the robot can't be aggressive towards humans, and each unit will develop its own unique set of skills depending on the different things they encounter.

It can even help with homework! All while being able to protect its data from computer hacks, the company says.

The dog was shown off at global technology event CES 2021 and Emma Russell from Koda says the dog is "a functional piece of home technology, a family pet and a piece of art, all at once," adding that it "evolves from a puppy-like state to a robotic dog with the intelligence of a supercomputer".

The robot dog is a very high-tech piece of kit and is able to move like the real thing, whether it's going for a walk or having a lie down.

The machine has multiple sensors, 3D cameras at the front, back and either side, and a series of microphones capable of recognising its owner's voice.

It also has a high-res camera so you can see what life looks like from your robot dog's point of view.

But, unsurprisingly, this kind of technology doesn't come cheap and this robot dog is available from £32,746 ($45,000). Which is more than the cost of most real dogs for their entire lifetime!