Before the Tesla Bot. before Sophia the Robot. before Pepper. before Atlas, and before Mark Zuckerberg, there was ASIMO.
Honda’s ASIMO, or Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, endured for 20+ years after ushering in the modern humanoid robotics era, and then dipped just as the market was heating up. As a new breed of AI robots inch toward mass production, let’s look back at ASIMO’s origins, what it inspired, its legacy, and how it compares to today’s humanoids.
Honda’s 1980s Humanoid Robotics Ambitions
ASIMO’s origin dates back to the mid-1980s when Honda engineers began studying humanoid robotic locomotion. The company was riding high at the time as the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer with an expanding global footprint. Honda’s automotive line was becoming a growing threat to the Big 3 American carmakers: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler.
As the first Japanese company to build cars in the United States, Honda was gaining a reputation for manufacturing reliable, fuel-efficient, and affordable vehicles. Honda became a symbol of Japan’s industrial strength amid economic tensions with the U.S.
Honda’s corporate ethos emphasized innovation and dreaming big, with heavy investments in R&D for projects beyond cars and motorcycles. Anticipating that humanoid robots would one day play a central role in daily life, Honda sought to tackle what was considered the ultimate challenge in robotics.
Honda E Series
Honda’s first attempt to build a robot capable of bipedal walking was E0 in 1986.
It could walk a straight line very slowly and rigidly, resembling a shuffling gait. With basic actuators and control algorithms, each step took several seconds and there was no real-time adaptability.
It was primitive compared to what would follow, but it was a start. As Honda’s E Series continued into the early 1990s, the robots walked smoother and faster.
Honda P Series
The work manifested into the P1, introduced in 1993 as Honda’s first full-sized humanoid robot. Standing 1.9 meters (6 feet 3 inches), the P1 focused on walking stability and mobility. At 175 kg (386 lbs), the P1 was much larger and bulkier than humanoids that followed.
As computers became more prevalent and advanced throughout the 90s, so did Honda’s P Series. The tech boom of the era brought advancements in artificial intelligence and sensors that made robots more capable. In 1997, Honda introduced its most compact and practical entry in the P Series, the P3.
The World-Famous ASIMO
ASIMO’s unveiling in 2000 generated immense excitement. Anticipation was fueled by years of secrecy surrounding Honda’s humanoid robotics program. Its unveiling coincided with global fascination surrounding robots and AI.
The OG ASIMO stood 1.3 meters (4 feet 3 inches), roughly the height of an average 8-to-10-year-old child. It was much lighter than the P Series bots at 54 kg (119 lbs). The 2000 ASIMO walked at a pace of 1.6 km/h (1 mph). It could climb and descend stairs but was known for its mishaps.
ASIMO was much more public facing than its predecessors. Its friendly, futuristic appearance was intended to be non-threatening and approachable.
The robot’s backpack-like structure housed its batteries and computing systems, which delivered advanced capabilities for the Y2K era. ASIMO recognized simple voice commands and could respond with preprogrammed actions. Its camera vision recognized faces, gestures, and objects in its environment.
Advanced gyroscopic sensors managed its balance. Its multi-fingered hands could perform basic tasks like carrying items and opening doors.
ASIMO was initially intended for R&D and promotional purposes, but Honda envisioned a future where robots like it would be normalized in daily life. With Japan’s aging populations, robots like ASIMO were seen as potential household helpers for the elderly to maximize independent living.
The first-generation ASIMO’s capabilities suggested it could advance to the point of commercialization sooner than later. Products like Sony’s AIBO robotic dog showed there was a market for advanced robotic devices, even if initially niche. Seen as a trusted innovator in engineering, Honda’s creation of ASIMO inspired confidence that a Jetsons-like future was on the horizon.
Two Decades of Progress
ASIMO’s development continued throughout the aughts and 2010s.
The second revision of ASIMO in 2004 featured advanced dexterity for simple tasks. With its advanced motion control and environmental adaptability, the second ASIMO showed robots could handle real-world dynamics.
During this era, ASIMO indirectly helped kickstart the South Korean humanoid robotics market. Researchers at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology developed Hubo as South Korea’s answer to ASIMO.
In 2007, the third iteration of ASIMO could serve drinks and interact with several people at a time. Its multitasking and social abilities suited it for public service and hospitality. An upgraded version, named Albert Hubo, gained recognition globally for its expressive robotic head modeled after Albert Einstein.
The fourth ASIMO revision, in 2011, made decisions autonomously for pathfinding and task execution. It recognized and adapted to individual voices and faces in fluid settings, showing the potential of humanoids as assistants in daily life.
By the fifth and final iteration in 2018, ASIMO could run at speeds up to 9 km/h (5 mph), with smooth transitions between movements.
The humanoid’s manipulation skills were advanced enough for high-precision tasks like serving drinks and assembling components. Its advanced AI prioritized tasks and adapted to behavior in real-time.
Though its 1-hour battery life limited sustained use, ASIMO’s compact design, advanced mobility, and ability to navigate autonomously seemingly made future commercialization hopeful.
Then Honda pulled the plug.
RIP ASIMO
While ASIMO was an impressive technological advancement, it was expensive to build, operate, and maintain. Though companies like Boston Dynamics and Softbank were advancing humanoids like Atlas and Pepper, industrial and service robots for specific tasks were more commercially viable.
As the curtains closed on ASIMO, a new generation of humanoid robots emerged. Today, perceived leaders in humanoid robotics like Tesla, Figure AI, 1X Technologies, Agility Robotics, and Unitree are racing to make their AI robots ubiquitous. They’ve built on the foundation that ASIMO laid, integrating advanced AI and autonomous capabilities.
In some ways, they’re still catching up with ASIMO. While robots like the SE01 by Chinese startup Engine A I and the Tesla Optimus have made great strides in bipedal locomotion, ASIMO’s lifelike walking, running, and stair-climbing are still cited as benchmarks.
Enduring Technology
Technologies developed for ASIMO endure across Honda’s products.
Honda uses ASIMO’s advancements in balance and motion control for walking devices for people with mobility challenges and exoskeletons for elderly care, physical rehab, and industrial support.
Sensor technologies, AI algorithms, and autonomous navigations systems developed for ASIMO have been integrated into Honda’s autonomous vehicle projects.
ASIMO’s mobility and dexterity have been adapted for next-generation disaster recovery robots. Breakthroughs in motion control, precision, and human-machine interaction have improved Honda’s collaborative robots for industrial automation.
ASIMO’s influence could even be felt in space via avatar robots, as Honda strives to use its technology for exploration and remote operations on the Moon and Mars by the 2030s. Honda researchers are developing the technology to potentially perform tasks in places too dangerous for humans, like disaster zones, the moon and Mars. They’re using ASIMO’s advanced hand dexterity to handle delicate objects, mobility to move on rough terrain, and sensors for precise navigation.
Return of ASIMO?
Who knows? Maybe they’ll bring ASIMO back into the humanoid robotics fray. It’s hard to imagine the idea isn’t at least being entered with today’s hype surrounding humanoids