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The Evolution of Honda's Asimo Robot 1986-2006

world.honda.com — Looking at the progress Honda's made in robotics the last 20 years makes you wonder what robots will be like in the next 20 years.

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  • Geterix, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1020? Think 5.
    • BloodJunkie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Personally, I'd chalk this up to intelligent design...the intelligent design by Honda's engineers. Kudos!
    • Genma, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4asimo ftw.
    • rasterbator, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Look, Gromitt! It's the wrong trousers, and they've gone wrong! Stop them, Gromitt. Stop theeeeeemmmm…
    • rollerbob, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7We're already 6 years on from the end of timeline; as far as I know Honda haven't produced a more advanced - from an engineering point of view - humanoid than Asimo.

      While I think humanoids robots will be more advanced in 20 years, I suspect they won't be as advanced as you'd think looking at this timeline. Much of the development time of Asimo has been spent getting the legs rights, as clearly building functioning robot legs that can walk up stairs is an incredible feat of design and engineering.

      I'd like to see the next 20 years spent on incorporating true Artificial Intelligence into robots like Asimo, rather than them being merely showpieces used in Corporate PR events.
    • samdu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Perhaps they've spent the last 6 years working on software and other non-obvious improvements? Either way, I'd love to have an Asimo.
    • rabiddogma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Yes software is probably the next big leap forward for them. I would expect that Honda has improved Asimo quite a bit in the last 6 years but aren't ready for another big roll out just yet. I don't think that the past developments were exactly publicized all that much. What I'm saying is that just because you haven't heard of any improvements in the last 6 years doesn't mean that there haven't been any. That's sort of like saying that because you haven't seen a new iPod model in the last few months Apple probably isn't developing one.
    • ErrandboyOfDoom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@samdu

      Nope, just dickin around.
    • Mapou, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2rollerbob wrote: "Much of the development time of Asimo has been spent getting the legs rights, as clearly building functioning robot legs that can walk up stairs is an incredible feat of design and engineering."

      Actually, I think this is precisely what is wrong with Asimo. If, instead of hand-programming walking behavior into the machine, they had opted to create one that could learn to walk on its own, among other things, then one would be justified in saying that they are close to full-blown human-level AI. As it is, only a breakthrough in AI could prevent ASIMO from becoming a total failure in the end. And, I suspect, such an AI breakthrough would shorten the commonly predicted timeline (until full AI) from 20 to 2 years. After all, it's just software.

      One reason why they haven't made much progress, IMO, is that they still do not grasp that intelligence is a temporal phenomenon. The timing of signals is the key to it all.

      Temporal Intelligence:
      http://www.rebelscience.org/AI/Temporal_Intelligence.htm
  • invader, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16started with a charcoal grill for a head.. then evolved into a microwave oven.... now sports a slick speed racer helmet

    sweeeeeet
    • rabiddogma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Hmm a charcoal grill for a head might actually be functional.
  • soulpunisher, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Sweet I want one for my birthday now! And then I can have it chase my moms dog around the backyard! All day entertainment!!! Ummm wait how much would one cost? Anyone know?
  • ikak, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4it looks like walking microwaves
  • plue2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12I'm getting nervous allready. shoot the robots.
  • mcbesq, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8When do we get the model that has "Kill All Humans" mode?

    And you realize, of course, that the GM Robot is, in essence, Bender (in all his smog-emitting glory)
  • warmonger48, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6I just hope the hardwire the Asimov's three laws of robotics in these mettling-monstrostities....

    1. A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
    2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

    WWDSD? What would Dr. Smith do?
    • mcbesq, on 10/12/2007, -7/+7Will Smith isn't a doctor
    • ncdave101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I think he means Dr. Smith from the Lost in Space TV Series...
    • rasterbator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yeah, until the evil CEO from Robocop gets a hold of it.
    • eradicator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1ASIMO = "Asimov", with something missing. Beware!
    • warmonger48, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I did mean Dr. Smith from Lost in space, that why I said meddling-monstrosities. I too think its weird that the robot is one letter away from Asimov's name. It's all good anyway
  • soulpunisher, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Oh yeah I am going to train my robot to cut the grass, clean the toilets, wash the dishes, do the laundry and wash my cars! If it can do that it would be well worth it to own one :)
    • GhengisKhan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10That's why I got married.
    • walterd93, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Would you pay them? Eventually(in around 30 years) they'll be equivalent to humans, and have feelings, intelligence, etc. When they claim to be living and refuse to work(without pay), what then?
    • templest, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"Would you pay them? Eventually(in around 30 years) they'll be equivalent to humans, and have feelings, intelligence, etc. When they claim to be living and refuse to work(without pay), what then?"

      Simple:

      Robots created to do home tasks aren't given a fully developed, conscious AI (if that even exists),
      only real bots with that sort of stuff would be PCs made for thinking, etc... and if it ever gets to the point
      where an AI is so advanced it one day asks itself the question, "Who am I?" then hopefully we're, as a race,
      evolved enough to recognize our responsibility for our proverbial offspring.
    • kokobaroko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1you better watch Outer Limits-701-Family Values.avi first
  • panicofficer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Better buy your robot insurance now before it's too late!

    http://www.robotcombat.com/video_oldglory_hi.html

    "Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel. Well, now there's a company that offers coverage against the unfortunate event of robot attack, with Old Glory Insurance.... And when they grab you with those metal claws, you can't break free.. because they're made of metal, and robots are strong."
  • threemagic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1One of us...
  • twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I'm going to put my new robot right next to my flying car.
  • Hermitwise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I'm the same age as Asimo. I don't think time will prove as kind to me as it will to it however. I don't think 20 years will give me head mounted turrets and hover feet, but I can dream..
  • nozol03, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8As someone had posted before in regard to the Asimo Robots - They are cute until there is an army of a couple hundred of the ***** holding assault rifles. Then the fun and games are over!
    • DavidtheDuke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6You really can't expect the Pentagon to be sitting on their hands the more this becomes a viable humanoid combatant, they'll want a piece of it
  • vandread, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0How many miles to the gallon does this get?
  • zatrix, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3In 20 years I bet we will be faced with the same problem that Will Smith was
    • shosterman, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Finding robots to get jiggy wit it?

      Na na na na nana
      Gettin jiggy wit it
      01100001 00100000 01101110 01100001

  • Anagrama, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Dugg just for the fact that this IS tech news, not "my console is better than your console" or Paris Hilton info.
    Thank you.
    • walterd93, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2i can't wait until the robots kill you for making them slaves.....

      *cough*
  • jeremedia, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Its quite amazing to see Asimo in person the for the first time. It feels like an opitcal illusion or some kind of trick. If you're ever at Disneyland, don't miss the Asimo show. He goes on stage four times a day. You will leave convinced that you will be able to buy your own robot servant (slave) very, very soon. Seriously, its hard to not run up on the stage and tackle the thing.

    I have some pictures of him in action here (among some other Disneyland shots):
    http://jeremedia.com/photos/Disneyland_May_2006/
    • xjeffx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Thanks for plugging the show:) I work with Asimo
    • spyhunter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2That show actually is more of a demonstration of how far robots have to go. The whole thing is completely scripted, ASIMO doesn't do a single spontaneous thing the whole time. He is programmed with the exact dimensions of the stage and the stairs, and there are markers all over the floor so he doesn't get lost. The conversations with ASIMO are completely scripted, so no voice recognition or language skills are displayed, and I doubt he has much. And he doesn't actually perform any really useful tasks, like cleaning or cooking or laundry, since he isn't really capable of it. His most complex task (besides climbing the stairs) is kicking a ball, and he barely succeeds at that. He would be completely hopeless inside a real house.

      It's worth going to see the show, and ASIMO is cool. But it will be a long, long time before we all have butler robots.
  • scott1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"makes you wonder what robots will be like in the next 20 years."
    http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/object/568/568421/ff_transformers_object_468.jpg
    http://www.lucasarts.com/products/jedipowerbattles/images/opponents/big/destroyer_large.jpg
    http://blog.usticke.org/cimg0926.jpg
  • tf2t, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Why do people think this is cool? You do realize that Honda is developing this for the sole purpose of replacing the human worker right?
    • Endomorphic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1http://digg.com/robots/Robotic_Future:_Utopia,_Dystopia,_or_Myopia_

      brace yourselves for impact..
    • myrm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0that is the point.

      It also adds billions of consumers to the system in higher level jobs, driving innovation and demanding the same quality of life, salaries and products as you and I demand daily. This drives the cost of stuff down and has the added benefit of forcing companies to actually address the economic slavery we're currently fostering. The innovation of companies like Honda will allow millions of people currently working jobs assembling the ***** you and I buy to spend their time on their own good ideas. You have them, I have them and they have them. The difference is our decadent lifestyle allows us to more readily act upon them since our struggle is less of one to meet our basic needs.

      I'm not advocating automation and robotics as a panacea for social inequality, but I've yet to see an argument where the march of progress has, as a whole harmed our society or way of life to the extent that is sometimes implied it will. (except we've ***** the planet and are going to need a new one real soon, but that's well covered elsewhere on digg) The textile, mining and industry of the UK, the birthplace of the industrial revolution and thus arguably automation of industry, is a shadow of it's former self- the economy, however, remains strong and unemployment remains low and well within the bounds of sustainability. Machinery has not brought about mass unemployment and starvation and has not strongly concentrated wealth in the hands of a few.

      Market dynamics, populations, wealth and social equality are not closed systems; you can't sustain one without the others.
  • eradicator, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I remember watching ASIMO run up the stairs (about 20 or so) to the NYSE podium, to ring the opening bell for Honda. Now that was cool.
  • prelude619, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Imagine later, when they are fighting for Robot rights? When we have them doing our work for free and they become slaves and then we have a war? Wouldnt that be some *****? Civil rights for robots? HA!

    ~mario
    • warmonger48, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You ever read "I, Robot"? The movie was a shadowy reflection of the genius of that book....
  • mcbesq, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Danger Will Robinson. Danger. Allow me to now move about randomly while violently swinging my claw-like hands around in the air where they can injure you. Danger.
  • repins, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3you forgot this one:

    Zeroth law: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm

    or the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or the one)
  • etx313, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I, Robot should have been called I, Raped one of the best books ever.

    Die slow willy.
  • shosterman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Screw the Asimo, bring back the AIBO!
    http://www.sony.net/Products/aibo/
    • mcbesq, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I want to see Asimo walking an AIBO, maybe picking up a couple of spent D cells in an anti-static baggie
  • ChileanGoD, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Why is it shrinking?
    • eobanb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Because better technology allows them to make it smaller. Have you perhaps missed the whole point of the site?
    • ChileanGoD, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Until they become portable??.. and participate into the robot wrestling?? :)

      http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4476811361193228548
    • shosterman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Heard as a rumor:
      The lifelike movements required a smaller robot as the previous generation was too threatening. This new one is more likely to be taken in by a family.

      Who wants a 250lb+ humanoid robot around their kids?
    • ChileanGoD, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1^^^^ good point :)
  • gavinmcd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've always been amused by the Japanese approach to robots. They obsess over making robots more humanlike but the robots never really do anything. They can walk up stairs and kick a ball but it seems like a huge waste of money. Of course the technology they've developed will be useful in the future when the robots can actually do something useful, but I've always been much more impressed by robotics efforts in the U.S. The Grand Challenge developed technologies that we'll all be able to benefit from in the near future. And if you've seen the video of the 'dog walker' robot from DARPA just think what would happen if someone kicked Asimo in the side.
  • ihybridora, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i say they should put a led type screen, to show emotions. if it could have any.
  •  

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