P4: Honda’s Asimo humanoid gets a re-design after 13 year [Update: No, he doesn't]

Honda’s Asimo is probably the world’s most famous humanoid robot. The company today leaked the first technical details and pictures of the fourth version of Asimo, the P4. And the new and improved Asimo, which took 13 years for Honda to develop (P3 was unveiled in 1997), looks much more elegant and human astronaut-like than the previous models.

Standing 160cm tall, Asimo is probably only second in height to “tower robot” Tsutenkaku. P4 is as tall as P3, but Honda managed to reduce his weight from 130kg to 80kg. He now has 34 joints (two more joints in each hand than P3) and is said to be able to dance better than his predecessors (“dancing” was always one of Asimo’s special skills).

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 currently. We’ll tell you when they do.

Source;
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/03/23/p4-honda’s-asimo-humanoid-gets-a-re-design-after-13-years/

Honda Adds 360° Look at ASIMO Robot’s Technology Online

Here's a look into what makes ASIMO tick....
ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, is being developed to help people and someday assist the elderly and disabled in their homes. But while Honda continues to develop and enhance ASIMO's capabilities, the robot is being used today to encourage and inspire young students to consider studies in math and science. Honda engineers began developing a humanoid robot in 1986 with the dream of creating a new dimension in mobility. By having a robot provide assistance to people, they envisioned that this could enable those people to be more mobile to pursue other activities. After years of research and development, they created an advanced humanoid robot able to function in real-world environments. ASIMO continues to be a popular part of Disneyland’s Innoventions attraction where the live 15-minute Say ‘Hello’ to Honda’s ASIMO demonstration take places several times daily in the Honda ASIMO Theatre.

Here's the link to ASIMO's site;
http://asimo.honda.com/InsideAsimo.aspx

Honda robot Asimo set to make appearance at science spectacular

THE world's most advanced humanoid robot is to make an appearance in the Capital later this year, as part of a 21st birthday programme for the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Highlights of this year's programme, which was launched this morning, include a chance to take a first-hand look at the revolutionary ASIMO robot.

There will also be a spectacular exhibition examining the very edges of the universe, a sleepover at Edinburgh Zoo and a chance to get hands-on with the latest advances in renewable energy.

Launching the programme on the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, festival director Simon Gage also announced a series of events celebrating the man and his revolutionary ideas.

Mr Gage said: "This is a spectacular programme packed with some of the best popular science events you'll find anywhere in the world.

"It's a sensational way to celebrate the 21st birthday of the first, and I believe best, science festival in the known universe.

"It is a festival that befits an inventive nation that continues to pioneer ways of making the world a better place."

In total, this year's festival will include 170 events in 26 venues over two weeks.

The most eye-catching element of the programme is the first visit to Scotland by ASIMO, which has been created by Honda over the last 22 years.

It is the only robot in the world that walks on two legs, runs, climbs up steps, dances, recognises people and speaks.

The City Art Centre will, for the first time, host part of the family programme – offering seven floors of hands-on experiments and activities.

For more on the article;
http://news.scotsman.com/scitech/Honda-robot-Asimo-set-to.4972822.jp