Honda has been very silent about Asimo, its super-advanced humanoid robot, in recent years. After introducing the first version in 2000, Honda showed several versions through 2005, until the company finally took the wraps off a new version earlier today in Tokyo. This model is the thinnest, fastest, and most “intelligent” Asimo yet.

At 48kg, the Asimo that was shown today is 6kg lighter than the previous model. He now has 57 joints in his body (23 more) and walks at 9km/h (instead of 6km/h).

Honda says that Asimos’s improved “intelligence” makes it possible for the robot to track a conversation between different people, recognizing the faces and voices of everyone involved (even when several people speak simultaneously).

Another plus in the intelligence department: Asimo can now temporarily stop a certain action and resume it after performing a different task in between (for example opening a can of beer and pouring it into a glass – something, which wasn’t possible before either).

If told, Asimo can kick a ball or start hopping now, too – on one or two legs. He can now even hop in a circular pattern.

And that’s not all: according to Honda, the robot “is now capable of predicting the direction a person will walk within the next few seconds based on information from pre-set space sensors and quickly determining to take an alternate path to avoid a collision with the person if the estimated locations of the person and the ASIMO intersect.”

The Robocalypse is near.

Here’s a video (in Japanese, but that doesn’t matter too much in this case):

Asimo serving beer (he opens the can and pours the beer into a glass by himself):

Some new skills shown in slow-motion [ENG/JP]

Remember Tsutenkaku, “the world’s biggest” robot? Tsutenkaku, basically a 170cm tall robot that looks like a city tower, recently made the journey from Osaka (where he was made and is supposed to attract tourists) from Tokyo. Needless to say, he first went to Akihabara, Tokyo’s robot geek paradise, and while he was there, Tsutenkaku met Honda’s famous humanoid Asimo, too.

Tsutenkaku looks weird on pictures, but he’s actually much, much weirder on video.

Here’s Tsutenkaku walking around Akihabara and interacting with cute maids in manga cafes (it’s in Japanese, but that’s not too important in this case):

This video shows Tsutenkaku meeting Honda’s Asimo humanoid in more details. It seems both robots want to shake hands, but somehow, that fails:

There are many humanoids out there, but Honda’s two-legged, super-advanced Asimo is certainly one of the coolest. And if you’re a hardcore robot geek, you can get it now on your computer desktop via a new Adobe Air app.

The widget can be installed on Windows XP/Vista or 7 PCs as well as Macs with OS X 10.4 or higher on board. Your desktop Asimo then walks around on the screen, jumps, plays soccer, and performs his famous dance (there’s also a memo pad and Google search to make him a bit more useful).

You can download the Asimo widget from here.

Via Akihabara News

Via Plastic Pals and Response [JP]

Update: Sorry readers, it looks as if P4 is just being publicly displayed in a museum in Japan, and Honda isn’t planning to manufacture the robot.

I can’t make heads or tails of the original post — probably because it’s in Japanese. But it appears to be a sort of costume engineering blog. Pretty weird, but I forgive them because they made this.

[via Engadget and Plastic Pals]

As I mentioned earlier, Honda is in town to demo their two walking assist devices for the first time in the US. I was given the opportunity to test both models out in midtown Manhattan this afternoon. The applications for both models are pretty obvious and Honda has been testing the Bodyweight Support Assist at their Saitama factory since November of last year.

They both offer a surprising amount of support while walking, crouching and traversing stairs. The BSA is pretty awkward at first but you get used to it after a few seconds. Yes, I’m staring at my crotch more than usual and duck walking, but it’s a bit strange to have something between your legs while you’re trying to walk.

What you won’t see in the video is how to get the device on. It comes with shoes that are attached to the legs that, you know, you put on. There are two switches on each thigh section of the legs that you switch on and then you pull up the saddle between your legs and off you go. I won’t lie, it’s a little awkward, but you get used to it. It’s also surprisingly lightweight at around 6.5 lbs.

You may or may not notice the similarities between the movement of the device and ASIMO, but it’s no coincidence. That little robot is going to save the world!

The Stride Management Assist is less awkward to maneuver with and you can really feel the support in the lower back and at the points of contact on your hamstring. The motors really whirled when going up the stairs, but wasn’t as noticeable when going down. The engineers behind the assist devices told me that support is very subtle when walking down steps so that your natural movement isn’t thrown off.

Because both models are prototypes there are some limitations on who can use them at the moment. They can accommodate persons of height up to 6’2″, shoe size of 8-11 for men/9.5 – 12.5 for women and weight up to 220 lbs.

I’m still trying to digest what I just went through and I’ll have the presentation from the brains behind the project up shortly as well. The last two slides are very brief overviews of each device. Here’s a little nugget of knowledge about the walking assist devices that you probably didn’t know: over 30 prototypes have been built in the last decade.

Check back soon for the full presentation. And here’s the entire presentation including the Q&A.

[PSGallery=5bh28lp8t4]

Some of you may ask, “What is ASIMO?” Well, Asimo, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, is a humanoid robot designed by Honda R&D. It began as a small project in 1986, but advanced quite a lot and made its U.S. debut in 2002 at the NYSE bell ringing ceremony.

I really wish I could have one around to do chores for me, but unfortunately they are a little pricey. Almost $1 million each. Yikes.

Honda’s humanoid Asimo has been around for more than four years now but it’s still highly popular in its homeland Japan. At Robo Japan 2008, an exhibition held in Yokohama last week, Honda presented the newest version of the 130cm tall, walking robot to the general public and it looks just awesome.

In the graphic novella Robota by Orson Scott Card and Doug Chiang, the robots are invented by man, then take over science, and, when they develop a love of art, decide to end humanity, Skynet style. Fortunately, our creations have yet to have anything to do with art, meaning for the time being we’re safe.

Wait, I just got a link here that Asimo, Honda’s prototype bi-pedal future robot overloard has been spotted in Detroit conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

That’s just great. Also, who knew that there’s classical music in Detroit?

Asimo, Honda’s adorable robot that braved sniper fire in Bosnia several years ago, will conduct a special session of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra next month. The ‘bot will boss around Yo-Yo-Ma and the rest of the DSO while they perform “Impossible Dream” on May 13. The stunt is supposed to create awareness of robots in art, while at the same time encouraging local children to become more involved in music.

How ’bout those Pistons, Detroit readers? Frankly, the NBA, in the interest of making money, should cut this playoff nonsense and give us Boston v. Los Angeles. Unlike the Yankees v. Red Sox feud, Bos-LA hasn’t meant a damn thing in years.

It’s no surprise that Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot played an integral role in the development of this device. Using data obtained from hip angle sensors, the control CPU communicates to the flat brushless motors and provides the right amount of assistance to help those using the device lengthen their strides. The walking assist device weighs a paltry 6.2lbs and wraps around the waist and thigh. Battery life for the device is currently 2 hours when used at 4.5km/hour.

Ok, now I’m finally ready to love ASIMO. The robot can now team up with other ASIMOs and serve me drinks. Yes! Get me three, please, Honda, please! It’s Xmas, and I’ll need Egg Nog, ASIMO can bring it to me! And he doesn’t spill, and if he does, he cleans it up, and won’t feel degraded! I’m going to stop now!

Honda Demos ASIMO Robot In Japan [Live Leak]