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Honda Updates ASIMO
kosmicki writes "Honda Motor Co. today announced the development of new technologies for the next-generation ASIMO humanoid robot, targeting a new level of mobility that will better enable ASIMO to function and interact with people by quickly processing information and acting more nimbly in real-world environments."
of course a site called japancorp would never die to /. effect but just in case:
Tokyo, Japan, Dec 15, 2004 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7267) today announced the development of new technologies for the next-generation ASIMO humanoid robot, targeting a new level of mobility that will better enable ASIMO to function and interact with people by quickly processing information and acting more nimbly in real-world environments.
Key technologies include:
1) "Posture Control" technology* making it possible to run in a natural human-like way
2) "Autonomous Continuous Movement" technology enabling flexible route to destination
3) Enhanced visual and force sensor technologies enabling smoother interaction with people
1.Posture Control technology:
The combination of newly developed high-response hardware and the new Posture Control technology enables ASIMO to proactively bend or twist its torso to maintain its balance and prevent the problems of foot slippage and spinning in the air, which accompany movement at higher speeds. ASIMO is now capable of running at a speed of 3km/hour. In addition, walking speed has been increased from the previous 1.6 km/hour to 2.5 km/hour.
2.Autonomous Continuous Movement technology:
The next-generation ASIMO can maneuver toward its destination without stopping by comparing any deviation between the input map information and the information obtained about the surrounding area from its floor surface sensor. Moreover, ASIMO can now autonomously change its path when its floor surface sensor and visual sensors located in its head detect obstacles.
3.Enhanced visual sensor and force sensor technologies allow for smoother interaction with people:
By detecting people's movements through visual sensors in its head and force (kinesthetic) sensors which have been newly added to its wrists, ASIMO can now move in sync with people allowing it to give or receive an object, shake hands in concert with a person's movement and step forward or backward in response to the direction its hand is pulled or pushed.
By continuing to advance these new technologies, Honda will pursue development of an ASIMO that will be useful to people.
--Key specifications of the new model:
1. Running speed: 3km/hour (airborne time: 0.05 second)
2. Normal walking speed: current model 1.6km/hour --- new model 2.5km/hour
3. Height: 130cm (current model: 120cm)
4. Weight: 54kg (current model 52kg)
5. Continuous operating time: 1hour (current model 30 min)
6. Operating degrees of freedom: Total 34 degrees of freedom (current model: Total 26)
--Hip rotational joint: Increased walking speed was achieved by the proactive rotation of the hips in addition to swinging of the arms, which cancel the reaction force generated when the legs swing forward during running or walking.
--Wrist bending joint: Due to two additional axes in each wrist, the movement of the wrist area is more flexible.
--Thumb joint: Previously, one motor operated all five fingers. With addition of a motor that operates the thumb independently, ASIMO can now hold objects of various shapes.
--Neck joint: With an additional axis added to its neck joint, ASIMO's expressiveness has been enhanced.
*More about the new Posture Control technology:
In order to realize "running," two major obstacles had to be overcome. One was an accurate leap and the absorption of the landing impact, and the second was prevention of the slipping and spinning which accompany movement at higher speeds.
1. Accurate leap and absorption of landing impact:
In order to run, a robot has to be able to repeat the movements of pushing off the ground, swinging its legs forward, landing within a very short time cycle and without any delay, absorbing the instantaneous impact shock of landing. With a newly developed high-speed processing circuit, highly-responsive and high-power motor drive unit, in addition to light-weight and highly rigid leg structure, Ho