Officially, this video shows that Carnegie Mellon researchers have given Asimo the ability to detect and avoid moving and stationary objects while in pursuit of a goal. Unofficially, researchers at Carnegie Mellon have fueled the cliched "robot uprising" that we joke about from time to time.

The one positive in all this is that anyone not wearing a large blue dot in the near future will most likely be spared. [YouTube via Plastic Pals via BotJunkie via OhGizmo]

For comparison's sake, Honda's Asimo robot can only manage a meager 6 km/h. We assume Toyota was able to squeeze the extra kilometer per hour out of their robot with a strict training regimen and what can only be described as a mild dose of physical abuse—their robot can re-balance itself when pushed lightly, as you can see in the video.

Just don't get too pushy, young lady. Word on the street is these robot things are about ready to rise up and kill us all. [Jalopnik, YouTube via Smart Machines]

Let's say you're meeting someone on a blind date. She promises to be wearing a yellow rose so you can spot her easily in the line at the Cinnabon. But what if she lied about being a 22-year-old Hawaiian Tropic bikini model who's never suffered a single follicle of crotchal razor burn? Or worse yet, what if she learns that you aren't really a robot?

(In case we didn't mention in this scenario, you totally claimed to be a robot when you met online.)

The Asimo suit offers an inconspicuous means of scouting ahead. In the case that your female friend is one stubble away from her description, she'll never see your face as you sneak behind the counter, peek around the warm glaze and realize she's grotesquely only somewhat above average in looks.

In the case that she is the lady of your dreams, the suit will provide a few months of wiggle room before you fess up to misleading the poor young woman and offer to set her up with your refrigerator.

Buy yours now for about $400. [Yahoo Shopping via Gamersweb via Botropolis]

A humanoid robot is a general-purpose robot that looks a lot like a person, complete with a head, torso, arms and legs. The "total package" humanoid can walk bipedally, like a person, and use its hands to dexterously manipulate objects in the world.

Current prototypes like the Honda ASIMO can deliver tea and politely shake hands with their human masters, but based on some great sci-fi movies, humanoid robots are supposed to be terrors on the battlefield—walking titanium endoskeletons crunching over human skulls and mowing down pesky humans with massive handheld Gatling guns.

Will we ever really see a humanoid robot army? I think so, and here are my top five reasons why.

1. There is a one-to-one mapping between the human and the humanoid body.
Robots aren't yet smart enough to play without supervision. That's why human soldiers control unmanned aerial vehicles from thousands of miles away by twiddling joysticks. It isn't easy, but flying a plane through empty space is child's play compared to maneuvering a ground-based robot through rubble and wreckage. And what if you need to do something more complicated than just stepping over a curb, like defusing a bomb?

It's called telepresence. With telepresence, a person feels as though they are the robot by controlling the robot's body and seeing through its eyes. Human-shaped robots are infinitely easier to manipulate because there is a one-to-one mapping between man and machine. Instead of shoving around a non-intuitive joystick, slide your hands into gloves that map your fingers to robot fingers thousands of miles away. Now put your human expertise to work, without putting your human butt in danger.

2. Humanoid robots take advantage of human environments and equipment.
Nothing beats a tank for crossing the desert, but what about crossing a living room? Every human city is designed for a very specific type of animal: homo sapiens. We humans come in a very specific range of sizes and weights, and our environments tend to have specific temperature, vibration and noise limits—all of which simplify the problem of designing a robot. Humanoids are naturally suited to navigating environments designed for humans; they can walk through doorways, climb steps, and see over counters and furniture.

Along with our cities, most military supplies are designed for use by humans. That means a humanoid robot can wear human body armor, boots and camouflage. In addition, it can fire standard-issue weapons and ammunition, removing a need for specially-designed weaponry. Humanoids could also potentially pilot human vehicles. Rather than creating an autonomous vehicle from scratch, just put a humanoid robot in the driver's seat of a standard vehicle. And when a robot squad is on the go and under fire, it always helps to be able to scavenge enemy weapons and improvise. The infrastructure is there, and humanoid robots exploit it.

3. Humanoid robots are easier to train.
War is largely improvised, and that means learning new tricks on the fly. So, how do you teach a robot comrade how to defuse a new type of coffee-can landmine? Without a degree in engineering, you probably don't. But given a humanoid robot, intuitive training approaches are available to regular soldiers. An easy but tedious method is to physically push the robot's limbs through the proper series of movements. Alternately, take direct control through teleoperation and then perform the activity yourself. The robot then just needs to remember how you did it.

Ideally, however, a robot can be trained just like a person—by watching. Robots who learn by demonstration can be quickly trained by ordinary people who do not speak robot-ese or do any programming. That's because it's how we learn from each other. The trainer simply performs the task (e.g., a flying scissor kick) and the robot watches and intuits how to do it. Humanoids are much better at learning by demonstration, thanks to that one-to-one mapping between its body and yours.

4. Teamwork is easier between humans and humanoids.
It is doubtful that robot armies will operate completely autonomously in the near future. Human-robot teams will likely be the norm, as they are today. Therefore, it's important to make sure that human and robot allies can work together without stepping on each others' toes. And that means they've got to have good communication.

Human combat teams communicate and cooperate using language and gestures, and by paying attention to each other's facial expressions and emotions. Robot warriors that recognize human body language will be able to make fast decisions in loud, hazardous environments. Perhaps even more important, a human soldier should be able to understand what a robot is thinking naturally, by reading its body language instead of looking up an error code in an instruction manual. Using the highly familiar human form-factor creates a natural communication channel that allows humanoids to cooperate with humans in chaotic environments where split-second decisions are the norm.

5. The locals could potentially interact with humanoid robots.
War is becoming less about conventional fighting on a mass scale and more about cultural awareness. Last month, President Obama unveiled plans to send hundreds of "social scientists" along with soldiers to Iraq, to counsel the military on local customs. Relative to the faceless robots currently in use, a humanoid robot provides the opportunity for some kind of natural human interaction with non-combatants. Instead of an impersonal unmanned ground vehicle wrecking through walls or an unmanned aerial vehicle dropping bombs from afar, humanoid robots (armed or unarmed) could patrol areas wearing local garb, speaking the local language, and obeying local customs. How P.C.—or just freaky—is that?

On the other hand, humanoid robots can be horribly terrifying.
Mind games are a part of every battle. During World War II, aviators painted snarling teeth on the noses of their fighter planes. Nowadays (and back then), bombs have funny messages written on them, like "Boom shacka lacka," and "You want fries with that?"

Now imagine the enemy reaction on Robot D-Day, when thousands of super-powered humanoid robots march out of the crashing surf, bullets plinking harmlessly from their razor-sharp gilded breast-plates as death metal blares from their metal mouth speaker grilles.

Terrified yet? Well calm down, sissy; humanoid robots aren't on the battlefield, yet. But they might be soon, thanks to their natural ability to communicate and cooperate with humans, the ease with which they can operate in our environments and use our tools, and the terrible fear that blossoms in the heart of man upon laying eyes on the great and horrifying visage of the humanoid robot war machine.

Machines Behaving Deadly: A week exploring the sometimes difficult relationship between man and technology. Guest writer Daniel H. Wilson earned a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. He is the author of How to Survive a Robot Uprising and its sequel How To Build a Robot Army. To learn more about him, visit www.danielhwilson.com.

I strapped on Honda's fresh-from-the-labs Stride Management Assist and Bodyweight Support Assist rigs, and both devices made me feel totally unstoppable, albeit in a goofy sort of way. The whole time I felt the need to go do something great, like go on a cross-country jog or blast into outer space to join a robot colony.

I'm definitely not the target demographic for either device, which Honda's Fundamental Research Institute hopes will help mobilize and rehabilitate Japan's rapidly aging population or lessen the leg fatigue of factory workers who stand and crouch for hours on end. But of course, this didn't stop me from jumping at the opportunity to strap them on and stomp around; this is the first time Honda's prototypes have been presented on U.S. soil.

Stemming directly from Asimo research, Honda's learned so much about how bipeds walk that they can now produce devices that react to human motion in real time to support the motion of walking, using just a few simple sensors each. The magic is in the processing software which was refined with Asimo.

The first one I strapped on, the Bodyweight Support Assist (the one with the saddle) reduces the load on the user's legs to help with physically demanding activities. This one was definitely a bit more cumbersome to wear, but aside from riding up your crotch a bit (it doesn't exert upward pressure, much to Mahoney's relief), the experience is pretty cool. The system operates using just two tread sensors in the soles of the sweet built-in Velcro sneakers and two lift sensors in the legs which register the upward motion of your stride, as well as the orientation. There is zero delay, and you never feel like the device is controlling your movement. It reacted instantly to my motions and enhanced everything I did, like an exoskeleton.

Mundane activities like walking up the stairs and crouching down suddenly became fun and much easier—the saddle provides anywhere from 6.5 to 18 pounds of support when you lean back in it, which isn't enough to sit down on, obviously, but it's certainly noticeable and makes crouching easier. Personally, I had a little issue navigating the stairs and nearly fell backwards, as you can see in the video. Apparently my feet were too small for the sneaker sensors to pick up properly, making the whole device jerk my legs around more than was expected on the stairs. But even Asimo takes a tumble now and then, so wearing his legs, it was only natural that I had a stumble at some point. But when the shoes fit, the experience is absolutely natural.

Second was The Stride Management Assist, which straps on like a belaying harness and weighs practically nothing. It regulates the person's stride and walking pace, making walking much easier for the elderly or disabled while still building up their own muscles. The device was by no means discreet looking, but frolicking around in it felt very natural—just better, as my movements were enhanced almost immediately. The robo hip-huggers definitely perked up my posture and made me move around more confidently, giving gentle support to my legs during all parts of my stride. Walking up and down stairs, you can feel the complex processing involved, with more support given on the way up than on the way down.

Both devices have a sleek look, which Honda hopes to refine even further as they reduce the weight. Battery life for each is around two hours on a single charge, which will also get better as batteries get lighter. Even though Honda's tested both devices in real-world scenarious—the Stride Management Assist in a hospital, and the Bodyweight Support Assist in one of their factories in Saitama, there is no timeline for actual retail availability, but Honda does intend to come up with a finished product for sale eventually.

Which means most people will have to go on dreaming of the cyborg life, but hopefully not for much longer.

Apparently, the people at Japan's Honda Research Institute had the same idea, because they've now partnered with ATR and Shimadzu Corp. to come up with a way to use your brain as a robot remote control.

Called BMI (Brain Machine Interface – not the acronym that tells you you're fat), the tech uses electroencephalography, which measures slight electrical currents, and near-infrared spectroscopy, which looks at brain blood flow. Putting the two together gives you up to 90% accurate robot control without the use of physical implants.

Unfortunately, you still have to strap yourself to this giant chair and ridiculous-looking cap that kind of makes you resemble Dark Helmet from Spaceballs. But one day, when your mobile minions appear suddenly in the horizon, wordlessly laying waste to your enemies with nary a peep from you... oh, how glorious a time it shall be. [Akihabara News]

Honda has designed the latest Asimo to be thinner, taller, and carry a smaller backpack than Asimo of yore. And he gets a neck that can tilt. The result is a robot (or in this case, robotic action figure) that looks considerably less like an astronaut and more like a human...even if he's still no robot model.

The 6-inch action figure is available for about $20 in Japan. Tempting, but I'll stick with my anatomically modded Barbies for now. [Robot Watch via BotJunie]

There's nothing terribly groundbreaking here, but this online exhibition is the next best thing to seeing him live at Disneyland. How does he balance? It's there. How does he see? Got it. How heavy is his battery? Find out! Can he love? On this, Honda is silent (yes?). [Honda via BusinessWire via Crunchgear]

Yes, Honda made a nearly 50-foot-tall version of its not-so-nimble robotic friend, and it'll be heading down the Rose Parade route on New Year's Day. Also, it will be wearing a big top hat, which is a nice touch.

Honda will also provide the pace car for the parade with its hydrogen fuel cell powered FCX Clarity. There will also be music, dancing and flowers, but you probably knew that already.

Your listing for Current TV, since we didn't think that we got the channel either:

DIRECTV 358
Comcast Nationwide 107
Dish Network 196
Time Warner Nationwide – check local listings
AT&T U-verse 189

Robot Nation host and journalist, Adam Yamaguchi, talked to eight different Japanese robot researchers/companies about the explosion of robots predicted in Japan over the next few decades—including Honda about their robot superstar Asimo, as we see in this clip.

"Honda's probably the first company with the wide-enough reach to get [a Robot] inside every home, and they're thinking 10 years," Yamaguchi told us. "But smaller companies are bringing products to market now."

We'll be checking it out for sure.

Details are a bit sparse for the time being, but Honda claims that the legs transparently reduce the strains of walking, standing and crouching, and should be "as easy to use as a bicycle." The AP reporter who got to test the robo-legs had this to say about them:

This reporter found it does take some getting used to. But I could sense how it supported my moves, pushing up on my bottom when I squatted and pushing at my soles to help lift my legs when I walked.

Uses will not be limited to assisting mobility for seniors. Honda claims that one of the most practical uses for the legs would be at factories, where workers may have to assume repetitive, uncomfortable postures. The device is still in its experimental stages, but Honda plans to start testing early models on its factory workers as soon as next month. [Honda via AP]

It's pretty hard to worry about the future rise of the robot empire when they're acting quite this cute isn't it? That said, it's not hard to spot where the scientific value of these robots lies: all that dexterity in manipulating the instruments may one day end up in consumer robot products. [Robot watch via New Launches]

The device's lithium-ion battery only last two hours on a charge, so don't expect Grandma to run a full marathon, but some time moseying around the retirement village while looking all cyberpunk will surely make her coolest geriatric in Del Boca Vista. The Walking Assist Device will be demoed this week at Intex Osaka—the press release for that is below. [Honda via New Launches]

Honda to Showcase Experimental Walking Assist Device at BARRIER FREE 2008

TOKYO, Japan, April 22, 2008- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will showcase an experimental model of a walking assist device which could support walking for the elderly and other people with weakened leg muscles(*), at the International Trade Fair on Barrier Free Equipments & Rehabilitation for the Elderly & the Disabled (BARRIER FREE 2008) which will be held at Intex Osaka, Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27, 2008 (Organizers: Osaka Prefecture Council of Social Welfare and Television Osaka Inc.)

Honda began research of a walking assist device in 1999 with a goal to provide more people with the joy of mobility. Currently, the device has entered into the feasibility stage.

The cooperative control technology utilized for this device is a unique Honda innovation achieved through the cumulative study of human walking just as the research and development of technologies was conducted for Honda's advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO. Applying cooperative control based on the information obtained from hip angle sensors, the motors provide optimal assistance based on a command from the control CPU. With this assist, the user's stride will be lengthened compared to the user's normal stride without the device and therefore the ease of walking is achieved.

The compact design of the device was achieved with flat brushless motors and a control system developed by Honda. In addition, a simple design to be worn with a belt around the hip and thigh was employed to help achieve overall weight as light as approximately 2.8kg. As a result, the device reduces the user's load and can be fit to different body shapes.

The research of this device is being conducted by the Fundamental Technology Research Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Wako, Saitama.

Honda is planning to offer interested attendees an opportunity to wear and experience this walking assist device at the Honda booth at BARRIER FREE 2008.
(*) This device is designed for people who are still capable of walking on their own.

• Autonomous battery charging - Honda developed a Borg-like charging bay for ASIMO. When the robot's battery level drops to a certain point, it seeks out the closest bay.
Future Shock: Seeking a power source is the first step towards domination, Coppertop.

• Avoiding oncoming people - ASIMO sees an oncoming person through its eye camera, judges its inertia, guesses its speed and path, then either changes course to steer clear, or simply takes a step back.
Future Shock: If they're taught subservience, they start questioning their predestined role. Also, doesn't this sound a lot like targeting?

• Working together - This involves constant sharing of relevant data between networked ASIMOs, and a survey of which robot is closest to the most pressing task, and what his battery life status is. Among them, they "decide" which one is best suited to go in and do the job.
Future Shock: If I have to explain to you why robots working together could be a bad thing, well, you're probably already dead. [Honda]

The little spaceman is, an impressively small, 6" in height and the package includes a 2.4GHz 2-channel transmitter. The device will run on four alkaline batteries and will be available in time for Christmas festivities this year for 10,290 yen ($89.80). If we can't go to the moon, at least our radio controlled brethren can live our dreams for us—fly, little fella. Fly! [ Product Page via Sci Fi Tech]

Although Honda calls this version "all-new," he looks similar to the ASIMO we saw at CES last January. We saw that version running across the stage at what the host said was 4 kilometers per hour, but it wasn't doing a whole lot of interacting. If this ASIMO can actually run 4mph, that represents the next step in robot sprinting. If the little guy's capable of even more interaction, well, we want to talk with his agent—perhaps he would be interested in writing for Gizmodo. Wait, wait, just kidding. [Honda]

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–Travis Hudson

Honda's Robot ASIMO Joins Dancing with the Stars [hurtyelbow]

–Noah Robischon

Next step: making Asimo useful. –Adam Frucci with video by Richard Blakeley

CES 2007 [Gizmodo]

Oh Noes. Not again!

I also have a video of the reporter who eventually went on to program the ASIMO stair algorithm:

–Brian Lam

Digital World Tokyo [Tokyo]

Man's Dream Takes First Step Forward [Honda, via OhGizmo]

There are tons of HDTV videos of Asimo in action—see the list after the jump...

Product Page
[Thanks Bram!]

New ASIMO Running at 6km/h (00:35) video

New ASIMO Turning on the Spot (00:22) video

New ASIMO Greeting Passers-By (00:24) video

New ASIMO Walking with a Tray (00:31) video

New ASIMO Operating a Cart (01:26) video

New ASIMO Running while Cornering (00:57) video

New ASIMO Exercising (00:44) video

New ASIMO Walking Hand-in-Hand (01:16) video

New ASIMO Receiving and Delivering a Tray (01:15) video

New ASIMO IC Tele-Interaction Card (00:25) video

New ASIMO Interaction with Distancing (00:44) video

New ASIMO Interaction with Recognition (00:22) video

New ASIMO in an Office (01:03) video

New ASIMO Pushing a Cart (05:21) video

New ASIMO Running at 6km/h (Slow Motion) (00:26) video

New ASIMO - Comparison of Running Speed (00:20) video