Hello dear friends. We are talking about Japan again, but this time we are not talking about traditions or sights. And I want to talk about the unique invention that the Japanese robot Asimo has become. Scientists of the country where it blooms have always been famous for their achievements and technical innovations. Now their android surprises the world.

Robots from Honda

Honda Corporation, known for its modern designs and achievements, has been trying to produce human-like robots since the 1980s. For a long time, these developments were classified. Specialists actively studied the features of the movement of people and animals, so that in the future robots could clearly reproduce these elements.

And then, Honda introduced to the world, the first experimental robots of the "E" and "P" series. Not too similar to people, they still caused delight and showed good results. So years later, after a long work, Honda finally demonstrated a new improved miracle - the Asimo robot, which was released in 2000.

Asimo's abilities

I think that you are interested in what is the peculiarity of this particular robot, what Asimo can do and how it differs from other robots? Interestingly, a technically almost perfect robot doll can do a lot:

• Recognizes objects that are moving;
• Walks almost like a human;
• Understands gestures;
• Recognizes objects and everything that surrounds it;
• Distinguishes sounds;
• Recognizes people's faces;
• Shaking hand;
• Opens doors;
• Turns on and off the light;
• Carries objects in hands;
• Pushes a trolley or a table on wheels in front of him;
• Pours tea;
• Responds to his own name;
• dancing;
• Runs;
• Walks up the stairs;

Specialists are working on this funny robot and over the years this list will become much larger. Asimo is unique, in my opinion, it is a very curious and interesting Japanese invention. He was invented as a household assistant to a person. An amazing creature, can do what a disabled or sick person cannot do, give or bring some thing, help to cope with the household, and also save from loneliness and boredom.

What does it look like

If you look at the photo, you will see that the famous android robot looks like a short person in a white space suit, wearing a helmet and with a backpack on his back. He is 130 cm tall and weighs 50 kg. The robot speaks in a pleasant voice, very funny and cute.

The name Asimo is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility" - literally "jump into the world of mobile innovation" or "progressive step into innovation." This miracle of technology is charged from the network, on the chest it has indicators that report the level of energy and readiness for work.

Asimo's hands are dexterous and strong, for such a robot in two hands, it can carry objects with a total weight of up to a kilogram.

Face and Voice Recognition

Asimo can recognize up to 10 faces. When he recognizes a person, he begins to address him by name. Moreover, the robot recognizes people, even if they move. He distinguishes human voices from each other and from other sounds, turns to the one with whom he speaks. If something is dropped behind the android, it will turn towards the sound. Call the robot, he will turn his head in your direction. Asimo understands team votes and easily follows verbal instructions. Knows the sign language used by the deaf and dumb and can communicate in this way.

How can he move

Almost like a human. The robot successfully and accurately knows how to bypass various obstacles, people and all objects that move. Easily descends the most uncomfortable stairs and scores the ball into the goal without any problems. There is a built-in video camera in his head, it allows the android to monitor several objects at once, and the computer brain determines the distance to them, calculates the distance for movement. Watch this short video and you will understand everything:

A wonderful robot shakes hands with the interlocutor, can repeat the dance movements of a person. If you show him any direction, he understands where to go. He can take a tray with cups full of tea and carefully place it on the table, pour water from a bottle into a glass. Also, the robot can connect to the Internet and local networks, will be able to talk with the guest through the intercom, open the door and lead into the house. And also, you will not believe it - to conduct an orchestra! Yes yes exactly! To be honest, I didn’t really understand how this happens, but this function is on its list.

How much does a robot friend cost

Asimo is produced individually. There are just over 100 robots in total. The cost of construction, within a million dollars. Are you wondering what the price of an invention is? Be surprised. The child of Japanese technology is not for sale. At all. Not for any. But, Asimo can be rented.

Where do androids work

Asimo is actively used in various fields of activity. He participated in the opening of trading on the stock exchange, invited visitors to a large Japanese shopping complex, attended meetings in the government, as an attendant. Robots work in some Honda offices, meet guests.

Other androids

• Once upon a time, the robot dog Aibo was very popular and loved by the Japanese. The dog was invented and designed by Sony. The dog behaves almost like a real one, there are modifications that mimic the behavior of a puppy. Aibo can walk, recognize faces and commands, play with toys or with the owner. He knows how to recharge himself, changes his mood (dog Aibo, in the photo).
• Also, one Japanese experiment, this is the HRP-4C female robot created for use in the entertainment industry.
• The Vietnamese company TOSY has released an interesting intelligent robot playing table tennis.
• Scientists from the UAE also joined the development of unique ones, released a humanoid robot Ibn Sina, adapted to work in shopping centers as assistants to sellers and informants. The model speaks English and Arabic.
• The Russian android SAR - 401, similar to a person, was created in order to help our cosmonauts work in outer space.
• Another of the modern Japanese developments and achievements is a new and very cute robot named Pepper, which was released not long ago, outwardly it looks a bit like Asimo, but for me, more fun!

Look at the video here:

It is quite possible that in a couple of decades such humanoid robots will become commonplace and we will be able to meet them on the street. Driving a taxi or at a grocery store. In the meantime, Asimo is only a miracle Japanese technology which we talked about a little today.

Thank you for your interest in this magical land, Japan is beautiful and unique. I hope that you are subscribed to new articles, and if not, subscribe! Share information with your friends in social networks. Good luck!

Robot Asimo was created as an assistant to people. Honda has come a long way in developing its android since the 80s of the last century to release the world's first Asimo in 2000.

The name "Asimo" stands for "Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility", in Russian "a progressive step into innovative mobility". Asimo is the most advanced android to date, a sci-fi dream come true for its creators at Honda. By the way, in the name of the Japanese robot, many see a similarity with the name of the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, but nothing has been officially confirmed.

Robot Asimo can't be bought

Each Asimo is a piece of work that costs a little less than a million dollars. However, Honda does not aim to sell them. While you can't buy Asimo, you can rent a robot for about $14,000 a month. What is so unique about this android?

Video from Asimo from last year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah:

Let's greet Asimo with a handshake

Asimo can shake hands with a person by synchronizing with them. It will move slightly forward if the human takes a step back or pulls the robot by the hand. Android is helped to do this by visual sensors that track human movements, force sensors in the wrists, and tactile sensors in the palms.

Asimo's hands are very dexterous. Each arm has 14 degrees of freedom. Each hand is 4, not counting the joints of the fingers. And the grip strength of all his five fingers is half a kilogram. It can carry up to 300 grams in each hand and up to 1 kg using both hands at the same time.

Call Asimo

In addition to the ability to recognize moving objects (including people's faces), the Asimo robot has the ability to hear and perceive voice commands even in the midst of noise or music. Asimo hears his name being called and turns to the caller. He will "look" at the face of the person who is talking to him and react. Also, the android will turn to unfamiliar sudden sounds, for example, the fall of an object.

He reacts to simple human gestures and postures, understands and speaks in the language of the deaf and dumb. Robot Asimo distinguishes between familiar faces and unfamiliar ones. You can point your finger at a place or thing, and Asimo will look not at the finger, but where they point.

Helper for home

This Japanese robot can open doors, operate a light switch, carry things, and push a shopping cart or a dinner table at home. The robot is controlled from a workstation or a portable controller.

Asimo can bring a tray, for example, with drinks. He will carry it carefully, because he will balance not only with his hands and arms, but with his whole body so as not to spill anything. Watch the video of Asimo pouring tea:

The height of the Asimo robot allows him to interact well with a person - 130 cm. Asimo is not small and not large, and he is perfectly suited to the usual human environment, for example, an apartment, in order to function perfectly. Within 40 minutes after each charge, you can have a great home assistant. Asimo can simply accompany you (walking speed - 2.7 km / h), then he will work longer - an hour.

The robot Asimo goes that the swan swims

In order for Asimo to walk smoothly, he remembers several ways to move at once: start, accelerate, constant speed, brake, stop, turn. All these modes of movement are combined. He constantly chooses how to turn the feet, what type of gait to choose. His body has 57 degrees of freedom in total. Watch the video with Asimo, where he dances:

He runs, by the way, at a speed of 9 km / h. Its ultrasonic wave sensors help to perfectly navigate in a space with a radius of 3 m, even while moving. For example, he walks around glass walls with ease when his visual sensors cannot detect them.

In addition, Asimo has a laser and infrared sensor for feeling the space around. If an obstacle is detected, the android will not slow down to rebuild, it will change the movement profile while walking.

Asimo can walk up stairs, unlike many, many robots. He's great at this.

"And in the forehead the star burns"

AT this case- in the chest. Any robot should have indicator lights that would light up and blink. It cannot be otherwise! 😉

There are three colored indicators on Asimo's chest. Green - low level energy. White - download completed, ready to go. Red - Power and servos on, ready to go.

Finally, let's talk about the weight and other characteristics of this wonderful Japanese robot.

Asimo robot has a magnesium alloy cover, which makes it durable and lightweight - only 48 kg. The weight was also reduced (relative to the 2000 model), replacing the nickel-hydride batteries with 51.8 volt lithium-ion batteries. The android carries them in his "backpack". New batteries have a 3 hour charge cycle.

give QRIO sufficient freedom of movement and good coordination. For example, a robot can move quickly, pick up objects, climb stairs, dance, and balance while standing on one leg.

QRIO

The robot knows 60,000 words in different languages ​​of the world, can recognize faces, obey commands and, according to the developers, ask “smart” questions depending on the situation.

Three built-in computers based on RISC R5000 with 64 MB of RAM are responsible for the movements and intelligence of QRIO. As operating system Aperios is used. Also, the robot is equipped with stereo lenses, seven microphones and 36 motion sensors, seven of which are responsible for security.

In 2005, QRIO was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest moving humanoid robot. It is positioned as the first two-legged robot that can run (by running is meant the ability to move when both legs of the robot do not touch the ground). QRIO can run at a speed of 23 centimeters per second.

It is not known how many QRIO prototypes currently exist, but 10 robots were once seen dancing at the same time. This information was confirmed by Sony representatives on January 22, 2006 at the Science Museum in Boston. Also, Sony representatives said that there are fourth-generation prototypes (without a third camera on the forehead, and with improved coordination of movements).

Video of 4 QRIO robots dancing:

The fourth generation QRIO internal battery lasts approximately 1 hour of continuous operation.
QRIO is Sony's next step in entertainment robots after AIBO. On the this moment robots are at the testing stage and there is no talk of selling them yet.

Aibo(jap. 愛慕 aibo means "love", "affection", and can also mean "comrade"; There is also an English abbreviation. A rtificial I intelligence Ro BO t) is a robot dog developed by Sony. It has many modifications, the first model was released in 1999. AIBO can walk, "see" the objects around it with the help of a video camera and infrared distance sensors, recognize commands and faces. The robot is completely autonomous: it can learn and evolve based on the promptings of its owner, environment, or another AIBO. Despite this, it lends itself to settings using special programs. There is software that simulates an "adult dog", which immediately uses all its functions and software that simulates a "puppy", which develops its capabilities gradually.

Two AIBO dogs different models- ERS-210 (left) and ERS-111 (right)

AIBO's "mood" can change depending on the environment and influence behavior. Instincts allow AIBO to move, play with his toys, satisfy his curiosity, play and communicate with the owner, recharge himself and wake up after sleep. The developers claim that AIBO has six senses: happiness, sadness, fear, dislike, surprise, and anger.

Aibo lineup:

• ERS110-ERS111 (1999) - included the ability to learn from environment and express emotions
• ERS210 (2000) - added face and voice recognition functions, touch sensors
• ERS311-ERS312 (2001) - friendlier appearance
• ERS220 (2001) - new hi-tech design and improved sensors
• ERS-7 (2003) - wireless Internet connection and improved interoperability

Currently, the development of QRIO and AIBO is suspended.

A similar Asimo robot was developed by Honda.

Asimo(short for English. A dvanced S tep in I innovative MO ability; progressive step into innovative mobility) - robot- . Created by Honda Corporation, at Wako Fundamental Technical Research Center (Japan). Height 130 cm, weight 54 kg. Able to move at the speed of a fast walking person - up to 6 km / h.

According to unofficial version, ASIMO got its name in honor of Isaac Asimov, the famous author of the Three Laws of Robotics. In Japanese, the name of the robot is pronounced as "Ashimo" and is consonant with the phrase "And also the legs."

According to 2007 information, there are 46 copies of ASIMO in the world. The production cost of each of them does not exceed one million dollars, and some robots can even be rented for $166,000 per year (about $14,000 per month).

Honda representatives say that this rule - only rent, not sale - sometimes gives them problems. For example, during the demonstration of ASIMO to a certain Arab sheikh, it was very difficult for engineers to explain that the robot is not for sale in principle - for any money.

ASIMO is able to distinguish people by special cards that are worn on the chest. Asimo can walk up stairs.

Experimental models:

• Honda E0, introduced in 1986
• Honda E1, introduced in 1987
• Honda E2, introduced in 1987
• Honda E3, introduced in 1987
• Honda E4, introduced in 1991
• Honda E5, introduced in 1991
• Honda E6, introduced in 1991

Prototypes of humanoids:

• P1, introduced in 1993
• P2, introduced in 1996
• P3 introduced in 1997
• P4 introduced in 2010

• ASIMO, introduced in 2000
• ASIMO for rent, introduced in 2001
• ASIMO, with advanced recognition technology, introduced in 2002
• ASIMO next generation, introduced in 2004
• ASIMO, introduced in 2005
• ASIMO, released in 2010

A short demo video of the development of ASIMO robot models:

And in this video, ASIMO can’t cope with climbing stairs(note: on YouTube, this video dates from 2006, among others) :

Recognition of moving objects

ASIMO has a video camera built into its head. With its help, ASIMO can monitor the movements of a large number of objects, determining the distance to them and the direction. The practical applications of this feature are: the ability to follow people's movements (by panning the camera), the ability to follow a person, and the ability to "greet" a person when they come within range.

Gesture recognition

ASIMO can also correctly interpret hand movements, thereby recognizing gestures. As a result, it is possible to give commands to ASIMO not only with your voice, but also with your hands. For example, ASIMO understands when the interlocutor is going to shake his hand, and when he waves his hand, saying "Goodbye." ASIMO can also recognize pointing gestures such as "go over there".

Environment recognition

ASIMO is able to recognize objects and surfaces, thanks to which it can act safely for itself and for others. For example, ASIMO owns the concept of "step" and will not fall down the stairs if it is not pushed. In addition, ASIMO knows how to move, bypassing people who stand in its way.

Distinguishing sounds

Distinguishing sounds is due to the HARK system, which uses an array of eight microphones located on the head and body of the android. It detects where the sound came from and separates each voice from outside noise. At the same time, it does not specify the number of sound sources and their location. At the moment, HARK is able to reliably (70-80% accuracy) recognize three speech streams, that is, ASIMO is able to capture and perceive speech at once three people which is not available to the average person. The robot can respond to its own name, turn its head towards the people it is talking to, and turn around to unexpected and disturbing sounds, such as the sound of falling furniture.

face recognition

ASIMO is able to recognize familiar faces, even while moving. That is, when ASIMO itself moves, a person's face moves, or both objects move. The robot can distinguish about ten different faces. As soon as ASIMO recognizes someone, he immediately turns to the person he recognizes by name.

ASIMO knows how to use the Internet and local networks. After connecting to local network at home, ASIMO will be able to talk with visitors through the intercom, and then report to the owner who came. After the owner agrees to receive guests, ASIMO will be able to open the door and bring the visitor to the right place.

Characteristics:

	ASIMO (2000)	next-gen ASIMO (2004)	next-gen ASIMO (2005)	new ASIMO (2010)
Weight	52 kg	54 kg		80 kg
Height	120 cm	130 cm		160 cm
Width	45 cm	45 cm
Depth	44 cm	37 cm
Walking speed	1.6 km/h	2.5 km/h	2.7 km/h 1.6 km/h (when carrying a load up to 1 kg)
Running speed	-	3 km/h	6 km/h (in a straight line) 5 km/h (with turns)
Takeoff from the ground	-	0.05 s	0.08 s
Batteries	Nickel hydride batteries 38.4 V / 10 Ah / 7.7 kg charge cycle 4 hours	Li-ion batteries 51.8 V / 6 kg charge cycle 3 hours
Working hours	30 minutes	40 min to 1 hour (in walking mode)
Degrees of freedom	26	30		34

Toyota also developed a humanoid robot for itself, the purpose of which does not differ from Sony and Honda robots - that is, entertainment, the creation of a "human assistant", etc. In total, Toyota has 5 robots, whose names are Version-1, Version-2, .... Your first robot who played the trumpet, the company showed people on international exhibition EXPO-2005 in Japan.

In July 2009 the company Toyota showed a video with her humanoid robot, where he shows his running abilities:

And again, Japan is ahead of the rest in terms of the development of the latest technologies. In 2000, the ASIMO robot, an android, was introduced to the attention of the public, able to move independently, distinguish people's faces and work in a network. In 2009, those who wished could purchase this heritage of science for personal use, that is, rent it. The article will tell you more about the new man's friend.

How it all began?

For the first time, the idea to create came to the developers of the Japanese company Honda. The ASIMO robot was created as an assistant for a person, and the first prototype of the modern ASIMO appeared in the 80s of the last century. After the company "Honda" has proven itself in the automotive market and has taken a leading position, she turned her attention to the still untouched area of ​​\u200b\u200bactivity - the creation of a humanoid android robot that would move on two legs.

The main idea was not to create a simple machine, but to reproduce a mechanism capable of thinking, performing simple actions and helping people.

History of creation

Scientists have suggested that for normal interaction with a person, the robot must be able not only to move independently on a flat surface, but also to use the stairs and not lose stability in a wider range of conditions. Therefore, its shape is humanoid, which helps to perfectly master the technology of walking.

20 years ago, creating such a robot was a difficult and time-consuming task, but Honda managed to cope with it. In 1986, the first model of the ASIMO robot was presented. He knew how to walk, however, only on a flat surface and rather slowly (1 step with a stop for 5 seconds). To improve the speed, scientists have specially developed the technology of "dynamic walking". And in December 2004, an innovative breakthrough happened at Honda - the ASIMO robot (whose photo can be seen in the article) began to run. Already in 2011, an updated version of the robot was equipped with the world's first autonomous behavior control technology.

Specifications

If we compare the features of the ASIMO robot of 2000 and the latest model, then a striking breakthrough is impossible. In 2000, a sample was presented weighing 52 kilograms. Its height was 120 cm and its width was 45 cm. He walked at a speed of 1.6 km/h and could not run. Worked on a nickel-hydride battery for about 30 minutes. There were 26 degrees of freedom, that is, a set of independent trajectories of movement.

The latest model has significant differences. Her weight became less by 2 kilograms, while her height increased by 10 centimeters. Walking speed began to be almost 3 km (2.7 km) / h. The 2014 robot can run at a speed of 7 km/h. It has 57 degrees of freedom and can work for more than an hour without recharging.

Functionality

The ASIMO robot has a wide range of various functions:

• Object recognition. Thanks to the built-in video camera, the robot can monitor moving objects that surround it.
• Understands gestures. The latter model correctly interprets gestures. May shake hands as a greeting or say goodbye.
• Recognizes the environment. The robot moves safely for itself and others. He understands what a step is, and will not fall from it, he will also effortlessly bypass the person who stopped in his way.
• Works with sounds. The head and body of the robot has 8 microphones connected to the HARK system. It can recognize sounds with 80% accuracy. Moreover, ASIMO is able to recognize three streams of speech, that is, to understand what three people are talking about at the same time (by the way, this ability is not available to every person). The robot easily determines where the sound came from, distinguishes between voices, separating human speech from other sources of noise. The robot also responds to its name, turns its head towards the interlocutor, and also reacts to sounds that carry alarm or danger.
• Appearance recognition. Among other things, the robot can recognize familiar faces. Now he is able to recognize about 15 faces, but as soon as he recognizes a person, he immediately addresses him by name.

commercial question

The Japanese robot ASIMO can connect to a local network. He is able to inform the owner about visitors and escort them directly to him. However, such an indispensable assistant is not yet available. For the period of 2009, there were only 100 robots. The production cost of each ASIMO is about $1 million.

Each robot is a painstaking handmade, and while the company "Honda" does not set itself the goal of mass-producing androids on the market. But such a handsome man can be rented. The cost of 30-day use is 14 thousand dollars.

best helper

Today, ASIMO is able to carry and serve things, push a trolley in a supermarket, serve drinks (in particular, it can brew tea on its own) and open the door. The robot is perfectly balanced, so you don't have to worry about spilling or breaking something before reaching its destination. Light indicators built into the “chest” will always remind you of the state of the assistant and how much more he can work. The robot is controlled through a portable controller.

Honda defines intelligence as the ability to perform certain actions by collecting and analyzing information. Based on this concept, the artificial intelligence of the ASIMO robot was created (photos are presented in the article). The improved intellectual and physical capabilities of the humanoid android are amazing. And although it will take more than a decade to create a self-functioning artificial intelligence with many functions, Japan has already taken the first steps in this area of ​​​​research.

In 2011, HONDA Corporation introduced new version his android robot Asimo. Now he can jump on one leg, balance on each leg for a long time, but the main achievement in the latest development was the hands. The robot was rewarded with fully functional fingers.

The development of this miracle of technology began in the late 80s of the last century. HONDA produced robots of the E and P series, and they paved the way for the development of the humanoid robot ASIMO.

The official version of the origin of the android name is an abbreviation for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, which means "a new step in robot mobility technology." But there is also an unofficial one, according to which ASIMO got its name in honor of Isaac Asimov, the famous author of the Three Laws of Robotics. In general, in Japanese, the name of the robot is pronounced as ASIMO and is consonant with the phrase "And also the legs."

The first robot of the ASIMO line was introduced in 2000. He moved at a speed of 1.6 km / h, could shake hands and understood individual words and simple phrases. He was 120 cm tall and weighed 53 kg. A year later, the robot was provided for rent. You can't buy it, it's simply not for sale. Because of this rule, HONDA representatives negotiated for a very long time with one Arab sheikh, who, well, I just can’t understand how it happened that you can’t buy a robot. Monthly rental of ASIMO costs $14,000.

Since 2006, HONDA robots have been working at the reception of guests in all offices of the company. latest version A multifunctional humanoid robot can serve drinks on a tray, recognize people's names from special cards on their chests, answer phone calls, roll a four-wheeled cart in front of it, and even walk next to a person holding his hand. The new robot is 10 cm taller and almost 10 kg lighter.

The functions that allow ASIMO to communicate with people are divided into 5 categories, each of which HONDA improves with each new robot. So, the first category is recognition of moving objects. A video camera is built into the head of the android, with its help it can monitor the movements of a large number of objects, and not only follow, the robot calculates the distance from itself to the object, as well as the direction of its movement. This helps ASIMO to follow the person, greet him when he comes within the reach of the robot.

Category two is gesture recognition. ASIMO knows how to interpret hand movements. For example, when a person holds out his hand to him, he understands that it is necessary to shake it, to greet the interlocutor. If you wave your hand to him, the robot will understand that you are saying goodbye to him. And yet, he perceives pointing gestures, with his hands you can indicate the direction of movement of ASIMO.

Another category is environment recognition. It is necessary for the robot to act as safely as possible for itself and those around it. He is able to recognize objects and surfaces. For example, he owns the concept of "step" and thanks to this he will not fall down the stairs. ASIMO can avoid people that appear in its path, so that it will not crash into anyone.

Android also knows how to distinguish sounds. This is helped by the HARK system, which uses eight microphones located on the head and body of the robot. The system knows where the sound comes from, distinguishes the voice from other external sounds. Now HARK is able to recognize three speech streams, it turns out that ASIMO is able to capture and perceive the speech of three interlocutors at once, which is not available to a person, by the way. The robot responds to its name, and during the conversation it always turns its head towards the interlocutor. If suddenly he hears an alarming sound such as a siren or the sound of falling furniture, ASIMO will definitely turn to the source.

The last category is face recognition. The robot easily recognizes familiar faces, even while moving, at one of the presentations ASIMO recognized a HONDA employee from behind and called out to her. Android can remember up to 10 faces.

Naturally, the Japanese robot knows how to use the Internet and local networks. After connecting to the local network at home, ASIMO will be able to talk with visitors through the intercom, and then report to the owner who came. After the owner agrees to receive guests, he will be able to open the door and bring the visitor to the right place.

For the benefit of different companies and people, 100 copies of ASIMO are now working. But it is worth noting that this robot was originally created to help a person work in space, during disasters or help people in places where it is simply dangerous for a person to be. For example, in areas like Fukushima.