Honda Produces Short Documentary About Its Work With Robots

I’ve just discovered today that Honda has a short film series about a variety of cool topics, created by award-winning documentarians. Of the most interest to me and this audience, of course, is probably the fantastic little short “Living With Robots”.

This short is directed by Joe Berlinger, who’s done quite a few interesting works, including Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, and Iconoclasts.

The focus of the piece is a pretty fascinating look at Honda’s work in robotics, in particular, its issues and research in producing a robot that walks. But it goes beyond that into exploring how to get humans to be comfortable living and working with robots in their day to day lives — especially when it comes to overcoming the “creepiness” factor.

You can check out the video below. It’s about 9 minutes, but it’s well worth your time:

Source;
http://blogs.forbes.com/alexknapp/2011/04/10/honda-produces-short-documentary-about-its-work-with-robots/

Honda makes short film on robots

I will use any excuse to post this picture....
Instead of cranking out a few more commercials, Honda is taking a different approach. It's making short films about some pretty interesting, and varied, topics.

The one about robots is especially well done. It's basic message: Robots are here to help us, says the company that brought you Asimo, pictured above. We have nothing to fear. There. If robots take over the world, blame Honda.

The goal of the films, a far longer format than any ad, was "telling the story we are already telling within the walls of Honda," said Barbara Ponce, Honda's U.S. ad chief. Doing it through short films works because "there wasn't enough time to tell the story and it wasn't breaking through in the 30-second spots."

Source;
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/11/honda-makes-short-film-on-robots/1

Honda’s Asimo Celebrates 10th Bipedal Anniversary

It’ll be ten years on the 31st of October since the day Honda Motor Company’s bipedal Asimo first successfully walked on his own two legs, and Honda plans to celebrate that special day with several events: Honda are creating a large collage and are soliciting submissions of photographs of people with Asimo or other Honda products, or drawings of Asimo; the Honda Welcome Plaza in Aoyama, Tokyo will have a five-day “Asimo Special Week” with demonstrations, conferences with the design team, and handshake events (like booksigning events in bookstores, except with robotic handshakes); and Honda will release an app called “Run with ASIMO” for smartphones (no details on which platform or platforms) which will let users ‘grow’ their own Asimos (by counting steps like a pedometer) and race Asimos between two smartphone users.

Source;
http://en.akihabaranews.com/67667/robot/hondas-asimo-celebrates-10th-bipedal-anniversary

Honda Conducts European Public Research to Perfect Human-Robot Interaction

Living with HUMANOID Robots

HONDA CONDUCTS EUROPEAN PUBLIC research to perfect
Human-Robot INTERACTION

A research project will be conducted this week in Linz, Austria, to discover what the ideal interaction between people and humanoid robots ought to be in the future, Honda R&D and Ars Electronica Futurelab announced today. The research, the first of its kind in Europe, will involve members of the public directly interacting with ASIMO, Honda's humanoid robot.

The findings from this and similar research around the world will be integrated into the functionality of future versions ASIMO. It will also help realise a humanoid robot that can interact effortlessly with people in a living environment and take on some the tasks that would help make people's lives easier.

For nearly a quarter of a century Honda has made significant progress towards this goal. The latest generation of this research is Honda's ASIMO, widely regarded as the most advanced humanoid robot. ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative MObility, features functionality including high-level mobility and an ability to give and receive objects.

Satoshi Shigemi, Large Project Leader of ASIMO development, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., said:

"This is an exciting collaboration for us with Ars Electronica Futurelab, which has a long history of investigating human-machine interaction and design. It is a significant milestone in our development of ASIMO and an important piece of human-robot interaction research to examine the diverse levels of robot acceptance and interaction around the world. We've already held research in Japan and in time we will conduct similar research in different cultures and different parts of the world."

He added: "The aim of this research is to better understand what the ideal interaction and communication between people and humanoid robots ought to be in the future. People need to be able to comfortably communicate with the robot so that it can react properly to their commands and carry out their wishes when assistance is needed."

The collaborative research with members of the public visiting the Ars Electronica Center will take place from the 2nd to 8th September 2010 during the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. Leading experts from around the globe in the fields of robotics, futurology and design will gather at the Festival.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.eu/en/news/index.pmode/modul,detail,0,1579-DEFAULT,21,text,1/index.pmode

P4: Honda’s Asimo humanoid gets a re-design after 13 year [Update: No, he doesn't]

Honda’s Asimo is probably the world’s most famous humanoid robot. The company today leaked the first technical details and pictures of the fourth version of Asimo, the P4. And the new and improved Asimo, which took 13 years for Honda to develop (P3 was unveiled in 1997), looks much more elegant and human astronaut-like than the previous models.

Standing 160cm tall, Asimo is probably only second in height to “tower robot” Tsutenkaku. P4 is as tall as P3, but Honda managed to reduce his weight from 130kg to 80kg. He now has 34 joints (two more joints in each hand than P3) and is said to be able to dance better than his predecessors (“dancing” was always one of Asimo’s special skills).

Update: Sorry readers, it looks as if P4 is just being publicly displayed in a museum in Japan, and Honda isn’t planning to manufacture the robot currently. We’ll tell you when they do.

Source;
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/03/23/p4-honda’s-asimo-humanoid-gets-a-re-design-after-13-years/

Honda Technology Connects Brain with Robotics

"The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now *I* am the master."
A new device developed in Japan by Honda Motor Company can analyze thought patterns and actually relays them as wireless commands.

Straight out of a science fiction tale, now opening a car trunk or even controlling a home air-conditioner becomes merely a thought.

Honda’s robot is known as Asimo. Shaped like a human, it receives wireless commands via electric currents on a person’s scalp. Asimo can also decipher changes in cerebral blood flow whenever a person thinks about four movements; namely, moving the right hand, moving the left hand, running and eating.

According to Honda, a leader in the field of robotics, the technology is not quite ready for a live demonstration and is still in research stages for a number of reasons. Distractions in a person’s thinking could offset Asimo, and brain patterns differ greatly among individuals, which means advance study of at least two years is required in order for the technology to function. Also, the reading device needs to be smaller so it can be portable.

A recent video reveals a man wearing a helmet that is seated and thinking about moving his right hand. His thought is transmitted to the robot by cords attached to his head inside the helmet. It took a few seconds, but then Asimo, dutifully programmed to respond to brain signals, lifted its right arm.

Yasuhisa Arai, executive at Honda Research Institute had this to say regarding the project:
“I’m talking about dreams today. Practical uses are still way into the future. Our products are for people to use. It is important for us to understand human behavior. We think this is the ultimate in making machines move.”

Deciphering brain patterns represents an important breakthrough in medical research. All over the world, scientists are attempting to unlock the mysteries of the human brain, but Honda believes its research in the field is among the most advanced and least invasive anywhere.

Embedding the necessary sensors under the skin is a painless procedure that is easily tolerated. The Japanese government is encouraging this robotic research as it sees the industry as a path to growth.

Asimo is a Honda celebrity, appearing in television ads and at various public events. He fascinates all who view him, but as of yet, he cannot sign autographs. Hopefully that day will some soon.

Source;
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/news/8027