Honda’s Asimo robot

Honda’s Asimo robot – the humanoid bot

Headlines today say that Honda is retiring its humanoid robot Asimo. The robot was said to be a symbol of Japan’s advancement in robotics.
Honda says that they want to use the technology behind the robot in more useful things i.e.

self-driving cars or may be in physical therapy. Asimo was actually the first biplanar robot i.e. the robot walking on two legs. Its development started in 1986 and it first came to the market in 2000. Since then it became Honda’s icon product.

Two-legged bot

After the release, the company started to see what more the two-legged robot can do. For this purpose, they established a research center. However, Asimo was not yet very much commercialized by the company itself.  Now they have decided to kill Asimo itself and use its technology to benefit mankind.

This robot, however, was famous because of its stable walk similar to that of a human. It analyzes its surroundings using sensors and thus maintains balance. The most recent model of this human-like robot came out in 2011 which was 48 kilograms in weight and it walked approximately at a speed of 9 kph.

Self-driving cars

Asimo engineers are now busy in developing self-driving cars using artificial intelligence. Its technology is also being used in Honda’s bikes. Honda is also developing a device using Asimo’s walking technology. This device will support physical therapy. It will help the disabled people move their legs and help them push the ground more efficiently. However, it is seeking medical approval.

Last year, the company released a self-balancing motorcycle in the US. Moreover, the company has also started selling lawn mowing robot which can also work on uneven surfaces. It is said that the humanoid bot could also be used to handle nuclear power plants. Asimo was a robot that had many great features in it.