It’s Tuesday morning in the DONGMEN District. [1] Once the switch is up, I hear the rushing buzz of electricity first, then see the fluorescents flash several times before settling in. It’s my dog.
[2] AIBO is consciously designed as a robot, without fur or soft skin or even visible eyes. Out of habit I walk towards the closet only to remember, AIBO doesn’t need food. [5] Live, or almost live

I get the leash onto AIBO’s collar, and we walk out.[3] All is bright and sunny—the world is in bloom. Not too many people are around but it still feels busy. [4] Unless you like a crowd, it’s best to visit on weekdays, public holidays are absolute chaos. On the second half of our walk, I take AIBO to the square near the center. I remove his leash and let him run around. My phone rings and I check to see. Another work emergency. I sigh and put it away.

AIBO is nowhere to be seen. What now? I glance around the square looking for AIBO only lock with a PUBLIC SPACE GUARDIAN. He realizes something is wrong but chooses not to engage. Working after all. I walk over to him and try to explain the situation. [2] The way an AIBO robot dog walks does not always look like a dog, but there are certain moments when its action reminds the user very much of a real dog […] The GUARDIAN nods along and replies: [6] As we shape technology, technology shapes us.

Bewildered by his statement I say: PUBLIC SPACE GUARDIANS help. [7] The point is they do it, […] with unprecedented fidelity. While Still confused […] he continues: Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.
I start crying out for AIBO right in front of his face. The GUARDIAN sighs. [8] It was as if he had grown tired of my frantic guesses and just decided to tell me the answer.

He steps aside to reveal AIBO behind a bench. The lack of eyes revealed he was [2] Out of charge.

SUPPOSED TO HELP

[1] Bloomsbury amp Yelavich, Design as FutureMaking
[2] Bureaud, MetaLife Biotechnologies Synthetic Biology A Life and the Arts
[3] Dietrich, The Educated Eye: Visual Culture and Pedagogy
[4] Rodney Charles Huillier, Shenzhen: Dongmen Pedestrian Street
[5] Cameron, Drama and Digital Arts Cultures
[6] Boradkar, Encountering Things Design and Theories of Things
[7] Hall, Pirate Philosophy For a Digital Posthumanities
[8] Bierut, How To

The word "chengguan" has even taken on an alternate meaning in Chinese. "Don't be too chengguan" means to not bully or terrorize. In other words, chengguan has literally become synonymous with violence.

- Austin Ramzy, Above the Law?