Honda’s running robot makes European debut

The latest generation of Honda’s humanoid robot, ASIMO, has made its European debut in Barcelona.

The new ASIMO incorporates several significant technological advancements over its predecessors, including a more streamlined design, even more fluid and quick movements and the ability to run at almost 6 km/h (4 mph). The agile robot also has several other new mobility and intelligence capabilities.

Advanced speed and mobility:

Running (6 km/h)
Running while cornering (5 km/h)
Turning on the spot
Slaloming (5 km/h)

Advanced functions to operate in a human environment:

Interaction with people by recognising them
Interaction with people by calculating their distance
Greeting passers by
Walking hand-in-hand and moving in sync
Receiving and delivering a tray
Walking whilst holding a tray
Walking and changing directions whilst pushing a trolley
Operating a trolley in a number of ways

“The previous generation of ASIMO amazed people with the fluidity of its movements,” said William De Braekeleer, Corporate PR Manager, Honda Motor Europe. “The new ASIMO takes this mobility and interaction with people to the next level and moves Honda one step closer to its ultimate goal of developing a robot that can be a helper to people in need.”

ASIMO is developed by Honda engineers in a variety of locations across the globe, but Honda’s European Research Institute is making a particularly significant contribution to enhancing the robot’s intelligence capabilities. Based in Offenbach, Germany, the Honda Research Institute currently works in partnership with 17 European universities and research centres in the development of intelligent systems and cognitive intelligence.

The European debut was held during II Jornades de Robòtica at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park and organised in partnership with the Barcelona City Council as part of the city’s ‘Year of Science’ activities. The new ASIMO will be in Barcelona until 29 September where it will be performing a number of special shows for the general public and the city’s school children.

On 28 September, the robot’s educational role in inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers will be highlighted at Nit de la Recerca, the European Commission’s ‘Researchers in Europe’ event, which aims to raise the profile of European researchers and scientists.