2007 Archive

Pleo Dinosaur — The Nose Camera

From the archive: this is a preserved news post from the original Pleo Dinosaur! enthusiast blog, written as Pleo approached his 2007 launch. We keep it at its original address for the historical record.

Originally posted June 14, 2007.

A quick clarification, because the rumor mill has been busy. Word had been circulating online that Pleo has a camera in his nose and can recognize faces with it. Here's the accurate version: yes, Pleo does have a camera in his nose — but no, it is not used to identify a particular person's face.

What the Camera Actually Does

The nose camera helps Pleo get a feel of his surroundings. It senses light, edges, and movement so the little dinosaur can navigate his environment and react to the world around him — noticing, for instance, the difference between a bright open space and a shadowed corner. Think of it as one more input into his behavior, not a facial-recognition system. When we checked with the company's public-relations people directly, they confirmed the camera is for sensing surroundings, not for recognizing who you are.

Why the Distinction Matters

Pleo is a genuine achievement in advanced robotics — he can appear to learn, sleep, and dream in his own baby-dino way. But part of loving him honestly is being clear-eyed about what he can and can't do. It's worth checking any dramatic claim you hear about the clever little dinosaur for technical accuracy, rather than taking the wildest version at face value. Overstating his abilities does Pleo no favors; the truth is impressive enough.

Learn More

For the full rundown of Pleo's senses — the touch sensors, tilt sensing, microphones, and infrared that round out the nose camera — see our specifications page, or browse the common questions in the FAQ. A concise overview also lives in the Pleo reference.