Introduction ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovactive Mobility, was a project which was displayed by Honda in October 21st, in the year 2000. It was produced with the intent of it having a broad range of functions relating to catering for basic human needs. Visually, its comparable to a human and after copious research of the movement of humans and other species of organisms, and the Honda scientists were able to incorporate these kinetic properties into the robot.
Function Honda originally created ASIMO with its intended functions being to cater for basic human commands, examples includes the independent transport of loads from one area to another. ASIMO is able to turn on switches, grasp onto objects and also open doors which are all due to the presence of the camera located inside ASIMO's head which directs its movement and also the sensors on its hands which dictate the amount of force inputted and how it conducts an action. Examples of ASIMO performing its functions includes when it had successfully pushed a cart, transport a tray of substances from one area to another without the loss of any contents present on the tray.
Features Features of ASIMO include: -34 degrees of freedom (the amount of ways that a robot can move) -Capability to determine amount of force sensed and produce correct amount of force required to perform a task. -Ability to adjust to the movements of a person interacting as shown during a demonstration in which a person had placed their hand out to perform a handshake with ASIMO, it had adjusted the positioning of its hands to return the handshake. -Ability to rotate it's body when walking without halting. -Able to transport loads from one area to another without dropping the loads. -Able to move individual fingers in order to turn on switches and conduct hand signals.
How Does ASIMO Work? ASIMO works by through the recognition and conversion of forces acting upon the hands of the robot which trigger force sensors enabling ASIMO to utilise the camera present in its head and return with the correct motion. An example is when an item is placed on ASIMO's hands such as a tray with cups of liquids on it. ASIMO's sensors detect the amount of force present and in turn exerts the amount of required force in order to conduct the action. The segments of the fingers also alter their positioning depending on the type of item it is holding, and then through a series of commands ASIMO is able to transport the tray from that certain area to another area. It is also able to return hand signals and actions through its camera's detection of someone conducting a hand motion such as a handshake, and messages are sent to its hands to return with the proper motion.
People Involved in its Design and Manufacture ASIMO was designed and manufactured by an organisation called Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Honda had decided to set out and create a functioning robot which would be present in human homes as a helper around in a person's house. The design of ASIMO began in the year 1999 by several Honda engineers and eventually was exhibited to the USA in the year 2000. Development of ASIMO originated in Wako Fundamental Technical Research Centre owned by Honda and located in Japan. Prototypes of ASIMO's separate limbs and the combination of its limbs began with creations known as the 'E series' and the 'P series', that had eventually lead to the creation of ASIMO.