Sony

索尼

Japan

Tokyo (Minato-ku)

Founded 1946

Last updated: August 24, 2026

Full Name

Sony Group Corporation

About

Sony Group Corporation (Sony / 索尼), formerly Sony Corporation, is a leading global technology and entertainment company founded on 1946-05-07 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, headquartered at 1-7-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It is consistently ranked in the Fortune Global 500, with businesses spanning consumer electronics (cameras, TVs, headphones), gaming (PlayStation), film, music, image sensors and financial services. In humanoid robotics, Sony conducted early R&D through its SDR series (SDR-3X 2000, SDR-4X 2002) and launched QRIO (Quest for cuRIOsity, the SDR-4X II) in 2003: about 58 cm tall, about 7 kg, with 38 DOF, able to sing, dance, converse, show facial expressions and recognize faces/voices; in 2005 QRIO became the world first bipedal humanoid to run. In 2006 Sony exited the home robot business (AIBO and QRIO discontinued).

Technical Overview

Company Stage

Demo

Focus Application

Service

Robot Products

Contact Information

Address

1-7-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Robot Products

QRIO

Released 2003

Demo

Development Timeline

2000

Unveiled SDR-3X bipedal humanoid robot (Nov 2000)

2002

Unveiled SDR-4X bipedal humanoid robot (Mar 2002)

2003

Announced QRIO (SDR-4X II, Quest for cuRIOsity) humanoid robot

2005

QRIO became the world first bipedal humanoid robot to run (about 1 m/s)

2006

Sony discontinued the home robot business (AIBO and QRIO)

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