Honda ASIMO
Advanced Step in Innovative MObility (ASIMO)
The robot's size was chosen to allow it to operate freely in the human living space and to make it people-friendly. See images "In The Office" and "At Home" below. This size allows the robot to operate light switches and door knobs, and work at tables and work benches. Its eyes are located at the level of an adult's eyes when the adult is sitting in a chair. A height of 120cm makes it easy to communicate with.
Honda feels that a robot height between 120cm and that of an adult is ideal for operating in the human living space.
The introduction of intelligent, real-time, flexible-walking technology allowed ASIMO to walk continuously while changing directions, and gave the robot even greater stability in response to sudden movements.
ASIMO can also be operated from a portable controller to allow flexible walking control and motions from button operations (gesticulations). This permits more direct operation of ASIMO.
Honda has added intelligence technology to ASIMO which is capable of interpreting the postures and gestures of humans and moving independently in response. ASIMO’s ability to interact with humans has advanced significantly—it can greet approaching people, follow them, move in the direction they indicate, and even recognise their faces and address them by name. Further, utilising networks such as the Internet, ASIMO can provide information while executing tasks such as reception duties. ASIMO is the world’s first humanoid robot to exhibit such a broad range of intelligent capabilities.
The key features of the new Intelligence Technology:
Advanced Communication Ability, Thanks to Recognition Technology
- Recognition of moving objects
- Posture/gesture recognition
- Environment recognition
- Sound recognition
- Face recognition
Network Integration
Advanced Communication Ability Thanks to Recognition Technology
Recognition of moving objects
Using the visual information captured by the camera mounted in its head, ASIMO can detect the movements of multiple objects, assessing distance and direction.
Specifically, ASIMO can:
- follow the movements of people with its camera
- follow a person
- greet a person when he or she approaches
Posture/gesture recognition
Based on visual information, ASIMO can interpret the positioning and movement of a hand, recognising postures and gestures. Thus ASIMO can react not only to voice commands, but also to the natural movements of human beings.
For example, ASIMO can:
- recognise an indicated location and move to that location (posture recognition)
- shake a person's hand when a handshake is offered (posture recognition)
- respond to a wave by waving back (gesture recognition)
Environment recognition
ASIMO is able to assess its immediate environment , recognising the position of obstacles and avoiding them to prevent collisions.
Specifically, ASIMO can:
- stop and start to avoid a human being or other moving object which suddenly appears in its path
- recognise immobile objects in its path and move around them
Sound recognition
ASIMO's ability to identify the source of sounds has been improved, and it can distinguish between voices and other sounds.
For example, ASIMO can:
- recognise when its name is called, and turn to face the source of the sound
- look at the face of the person speaking, and respond
- recognise sudden, unusual sounds, such as that of a falling object or a collision, and face in that direction
Face recognition
ASIMO has the ability to recognise faces, even when ASIMO or the human being is moving.
For example, ASIMO can:
- recognise the faces of people which have been pre-registered, addressing them by name, communicating messages to them, and guiding them
- recognise approximately ten different people
Network Integration
Integration with user's network system
ASIMO can:
- execute functions appropriately based on the user's customer data
- greet visitors, informing personnel of the visitor's arrival by transmitting messages and pictures of the visitor's face
- guide visitors to a predetermined location, etc
Internet connectivity
Accessing information via the Internet, ASIMO can become a provider of news and weather updates, for example, ready to answer people's questions, etc
Further Information
For further information you may like to visit the following links:
- The Honda ASIMO Website
- All about ASIMO
- Official Screensavers and Wallpapers
- Educational resources
- ASIMO @ World of Honda
- News
- More ASIMO links
- Movie
- ASIMO on WikiPedia
- ASIMO on Google