ASIMO

ASIMO

INTRODUCTION

ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, was developed by the Honda

Motor Company and is the most advanced humanoid robot in the world. According to the

developers , ASIMO is the only humanoid robot in the world that can walk independently and climb

stairs. While there are several other humanoid robots that can walk, none have the smooth, realistic

gait that ASIMO has.

In addition to ASIMO's ability to walk like we do, it can also understand spoken commands and

recognize faces. ASIMO has arms and hands so it can do things like turn on light switches, open

doors, carry objects, and push carts etc.

The sole aim of Honda was to create a robot that would help the people in their house, help the

elderly, or help someone confined to a wheelchair or bed. This allows ASIMO to do the jobs it was

created to do without being too big and menacing. ASIMO could also do jobs that are too dangerous

for humans to do, like going into hazardous areas, diffusing bombs, or fighting fires etc.

Humanoid robots are robots that are at least loosely based on the appearance of the human body.

Most humanoid robots have a humanoid torso, two legs, two arms, and some form of a head. Some

humanoid robots also include a face on the head, which can come in different degrees of

expressiveness.

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ASIMO

WHAT IS A ROBOT?

A robot is a machine designed to execute one or more tasks repeatedly, with speed and precision. There

are as many different types of robots as there are tasks for them to perform.

A robot can be controlled by a human operator, sometimes from a great distance. But most robots are

controlled by computer, and fall into either of two categories: autonomous robots and insect robots. An

autonomous robot acts as a stand-alone system, complete with its own computer (called the controller).

Insect robots work in fleets ranging in number from a few to thousands, with all fleet members under the

supervision of a single controller. The term insect arises from the similarity of the system to a colony of

insects, where the individuals are simple but the fleet as a whole can be sophisticated.

WHAT IS A HUMANOID ROBOT?

A humanoid robot is an autonomous robot because it can adapt to changes in its environment or itself and

continue to reach its goal. This is the main difference between humanoid and other kinds of robots. In this

context, some of the capacities of a humanoid robot may include, among others:

self-maintenance (like recharging itself)

autonomous learning (learn or gain new capabilities without outside assistance, adjust strategies

based on the surroundings and adapt to new situations)

avoiding harmful situations to people, property, and itself

safe interacting with human beings and the environment

Like other mechanical robots, humanoid refer to the following basic components too: Sensing, Actuating

and Planning and Control. Since they try to simulate the human structure and behavior and they are

autonomous systems, most of the times humanoid robots are more complex than other kinds of robots.

Humanoid robots are created to imitate some of the same physical and mental tasks that humans undergo

daily. Scientists and specialists from many different fields including engineering, cognitive science, and

linguistics combine their efforts to create a robot as human-like as possible. Their creators' goal for the

robot is that one day it will be able to both understand human intelligence, reason and act like humans. If

humanoids are able to do so, they could eventually work in cohesion with humans to create a more

productive and higher quality future. Another important benefit of developing androids is to understand

the human body's biological and mental processes, from the seemingly simple act of walking to the

concepts of consciousness and spirituality. Right now they are used for welding. In the future they can

greatly assist humans by welding and mining for coal.

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ASIMO

HISTORY

It was in the 1986 that the Honda Company began developing the ASIMO robot. The first robot

Honda built was called E0. E0 walked very slowly, taking sometimes 10 seconds to complete a

single step. This was because E0 did what was called "static walking". In static walking, after the

robot begins moving one foot forward, it has to wait until it has its weight balanced on that foot

before it begins to move the other foot forward. But humans don't walk that way, so the research

continued.

To achieve a fast walking pace, it was necessary to study how human beings walk. The Honda

engineers thoroughly researched and analyzed human walking and animal walking. The movement

and location of joints needed were also researched. By 1987, Engineers developed a new method of

walking called the “Dynamic Walking”. As technology improved, versions called E1, E2, E3, E4,

E5 and E6 were brought out. Each of these versions had innovations of their own.

With a body, arms, hands and a head, the next generation of prototypes (P1, P2 and P3) looked more

like a "humanoid”. P1, however, was a looming 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall and weighed 386

pounds (175 kg). P2 was scaled down slightly in height, but weighed an even heavier 463 pounds

(210 kg), it could walk very well on uneven surfaces, inclines, and could even grasp objects and

push carts. P2 could even maintain its balance when pushed. Finally, P3 was built at a more

comfortable (and less frightening) 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) tall. Weighing 287 pounds (130 kg), P3

could walk faster and more smoothly than its predecessors.

Even more improvements had been made to the walking system, allowing ASIMO to walk

gracefully and easily in almost any environment. Sophisticated hip joints allowed ASIMO to turn

smoothly (something other robots have to stop and shuffle in order to do.)

In thinking about how ASIMO was to be used, the engineers made the decision to further reduce

ASIMO's size to 4 feet (122 cm) so that not only would it not be intimidating to people who were

seated (or standing, for that matter), it would actually be at eye level. This height also made it

possible for ASIMO to work at table height or at a computer, reach light switches and turn door

knobs. ASIMO's very strong but lightweight magnesium-alloy body, covered in plastic "skin,"

weighed in at only 115 pounds (52 kg).

Technology called "Intelligent walking technology" allowed ASIMO to predict its next movement

automatically and shift its weight to make a turn. ASIMO's stride could also be adjusted in real time

to make it walk faster or slower. P2 and P3 had to use programmed walking patterns.

In robotics, vision is a captured image that is interpreted based on programmed templates. In a

manufacturing environment, where robotic arms build cars or robots inspect the microscopic

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ASIMO

connections on semiconductor chips, you're dealing with a controlled environment. The lighting is

always the same, the angle is always the same, and there are a limited number of things to look at

and understand. In the real (and unstructured) world, however, the number of things to look at and

understand increases greatly.

A humanoid robot that must navigate through homes, buildings, or outdoors while performing jobs

must be able to make sense of the many objects it "sees." Shadows, odd angles and movement must

be understandable. For example, to walk on its own into an unknown area, a robot would have to

detect and recognize objects in real time, selecting features such as color, shape, and edges to

compare to a database of objects or environments it knows about. There can be thousands of objects

in the robots "memory."

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ASIMO

CONFIGURATION

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ASIMO

WALKING

Honda researched both human and other forms of walking, performed numerous experiments and

collected an immense amount of data. Based on this research, Honda established fast walking

technology just like a human’s. Honda researchers began by studying the legs of insects, mammals,

and the motion of a mountain climber with prosthetic legs to better understand the physiology and

all of the things that take place when we walk, particularly in the joints. For example, the fact that

we shift our weight using our bodies and especially our arms in order to balance was very important

in getting ASIMO's walking mechanism right. The fact that we have toes that help with our balance

was also taken into consideration: ASIMO actually has soft projections on its feet that play a similar

role to the one our toes play when we walk. This soft material also absorbs impact on the joints, just

as our soft tissues do when we walk.

ASIMO has hip, knee, and foot joints. Robots have joints that researchers refer to as "degrees of

freedom." A single degree of freedom allows movement either right and left or up and down.

ASIMO has 26 degrees of freedom spread over different points of its body in order to allow it to

move freely. There are two degrees of freedom in ASIMO's neck, six on each arm and six on each

leg. The number of degrees of freedom necessary for ASIMO's legs was decided by measuring

human joint movement while walking on flat ground and on stairs.

Achieving Stable Walking

Issues to be address in order to achieve stable walking were

Not falling down even when the floor is uneven

Not falling down even when pushed

Being able to walk stable on stairs or slopes

The Engineers combined three controls to achieve stable walking for ASIMO. They are Floor

reaction control, Target ZMP control and Foot planting location control

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1.Floor Reaction Control

The floor reaction control absorbs irregularities in the floor and controls the placement

of the soles of the feet when falling is imminent. For example, if the tip of the robot’s toe steps on a

rock, the actual center of ground reaction shifts to the tip of the toe. The floor reaction control then

causes the toe to rise slightly, returning the center of ground reaction to the target ZMP

2.Target ZMP Control

Zero moment point (ZMP) is defined as that point where the total inertial force is zero.

Target ZMP will control ASIMO to maintain position by accelerating the upper torso in the direction

in which it threatens to fall when the soles of the feet cannot stand firmly.

3.Foot Planting Location Control

When target ZMP control operates, the target position of the upper torso shifts in the

direction of acceleration. When the next step is taken in the ideal step length, the feet will fall behind

the torso. The Foot planting location control idealizes the stride to ensure the ideal relationship

between torso speed and length of stride

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ASIMO

INTELLIGENT WALKING TECHNOLOGY

Intelligent walking technology features a predicted movement control added to the earlier walking

control technology. This new two legged walking technology permits more flexible walking. As a

result, ASIMO can walk more smoothly and more naturally.

Creating Prediction Movement Control

When human beings walk straight ahead and start to turn a corner, before commencing the turn they

shift their centre of gravity toward the inside of the turn. Using Intelligent Walking Technology

ASIMO can predict next movement in real time and shift its centre of gravity in anticipation

8 Dept: of Mechanical Engg, SNGCE ,KADAYIRIPPU

ASIMO

VISION

In robotics, vision is a captured image that is interpreted based on programmed templates. In a

manufacturing environment, where robotic arms build cars or robots inspect the microscopic

connections on semiconductor chips, you're dealing with a controlled environment. The lighting is

always the same, the angle is always the same, and there are a limited number of things to look at

and understand. In the real (and unstructured) world, however, the number of things to look at and

understand increases greatly.

A humanoid robot that must navigate through homes, buildings, or outdoors while performing jobs

must be able to make sense of the many objects it "sees." Shadows, odd angles and movement must

be understandable. For example, to walk on its own into an unknown area, a robot would have to

detect and recognize objects in real time, selecting features such as color, shape, and edges to

compare to a database of objects or environments it knows about. There can be thousands of objects

in the robots "memory."

ASIMO's vision system consists of basic video cameras for eyes, located in its head. ASIMO uses a

proprietary vision algorithm that lets it see, recognize, and avoid running into objects even if their

orientation and lighting are not the same as those in its memory database. These cameras can detect

multiple objects, recognize programmed faces, and even interpret hand motions. For example, when

you hold your hand up to ASIMO in a "stop" position, ASIMO stops. The facial recognition feature

allows ASIMO to greet "familiar" people.

ASIMO is not an autonomous robot. It can't enter a room and make decisions on its own about how

to navigate. ASIMO either has to be programmed to do a specific job in a specific area that has

markers that it understands, or it has to be manually controlled by a human.

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ASIMO

CONTROLLERS

ASIMO's "backpack" carries the computer that controls ASIMO's movement. ASIMO can be

controlled by three methods:

PC

Wireless controller (sort of like a joystick)

Voice commands

Using wireless technology and a laptop or desktop computer, we can control ASIMO as well as see

what ASIMO sees via its camera eyes. ASIMO can also use its PC connection to access the Internet

and retrieve information for us, such as weather reports and news.

The wireless joystick controller operates ASIMO's movements the same way we would operate a

remote-control car. We can make ASIMO go forward, backward, sideways, diagonally, turn in

place, or walk around a corner. Making ASIMO move by remote control may not seem that

advanced, but ASIMO does have the ability to self-adjust its steps. If it walks forward, and

encounters a slope or some sort of obstacle, ASIMO automatically adjusts its steps to accommodate

the terrain.

There are also preprogrammed gestures that can be selected using buttons on the controller. These

include things like waving, grasping, and responding in other ways.

ASIMO's ability to understand voice commands is the newest addition for control. Its database

includes about 30 different spoken commands that activate certain movements in ASIMO's

repertoire.

In addition to the voice commands for controlling ASIMO's movements, there are also spoken

commands to which ASIMO can respond verbally. This is the feature that has made it possible for

ASIMO to work as a receptionist, greeting visitors and answering questions.

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ASIMO

POWER

Like most other technologies in the robotics field, ASIMO is powered by servo motors. These are

small but powerful motors with a rotating shaft that moves limbs or surfaces to a specific angle as

directed by a controller. Once the motor has turned to the appropriate angle, it shuts off until it is

instructed to turn again. For example, a servo may control the angle of a robot's arm joint, keeping it

at the right angle until it needs to move, and then controlling that move. Servos use a position-

sensing device (also called a digital decoder) to ensure that the shaft of the motor is in the right

position. They usually use power proportional to the mechanical load they are carrying. A lightly

loaded servo, for example, doesn't use much energy.

ASIMO has 26 servo motors in its body that move its arms, hands, legs, feet, ankles, and other

moving parts. ASIMO manages a series of servo motors to control each kind of movement.

BATTERIES REQUIRED

ASIMO is powered by a rechargeable, 51.8 volt lithium ion (Li-ION) battery that lasts for one hour

on a single charge. The battery is stored in ASIMO's backpack and weighs about 13 pounds.

ASIMO's battery takes three hours to fully charge, so a second (and third) battery is crucial if you

needed ASIMO to operate for very long. Users can charge the battery onboard ASIMO through a

power connection or remove the backpack to charge separately.

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ASIMO

SPECIFICATIONS

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ASIMO

FEATURES

Its main features are its friendly design, compactness, light weight body and more over the advanced

walking technology. ASIMO’s size was chosen to allow it to operate in the human living space and

to make it people friendly. A robot height between 120cm and that of an adult is ideal for operating

in the human living space. This height characteristic makes ASIMO more user friendly than any

other new age robots. A relative comparison is given below

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ASIMO

APPLICATIONS

Although ASIMO isn't quite ready for prime time (there are still improvements that need to be made

to allow it to fully function as Honda hopes), several ASIMO robots have been put to work in

Japanese businesses, including IBM Japan and the National Museum of Emerging Science and

Innovation in Tokyo. ASIMO works as a receptionist in these businesses, greeting guests and

leading them around the facilities.

To perform these duties, ASIMO has to be specially programmed to know the layout of the

buildings and the appropriate way to greet visitors and answer questions. While the heavy lease

amount for ASIMO might be steep when compared to the salary these businesses would pay a

human receptionist, the coolness factor appears to be worth the price.

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ASIMO

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

In addition to ASIMO, there are some other sophisticated humanoid robots out there that appear

to do a lot of the same things (except for the smooth turning). The difference is that most of them are

built on a much smaller scale and are intended more for entertainment than service. Right now,

ASIMO's greatest competition in terms of technology seems to be:

SONY's QRIO robot

Fujitsu's HOAP-1 robot

Dr. Robot

There are also robots used in hospitals around the world that navigate hallways and take elevators to

deliver patient records, x-rays, medicines, and other things all over the hospital. They travel on

wheels and are programmed to identify and follow markers and bar codes placed on the walls.

SOME FACTS

It has been reported that because ASIMO's walk is so eerily human-like, Honda engineers felt

compelled to visit the Vatican just to make sure it was okay to build a machine that was so much

like a human. (The Vatican thought it was okay.)

The maker company said that it had chosen 3 clients out of 40 offers for long term contract.

Among them is IBM, Japan, which hired Asimo as a receptionist for an annual contract of 20 million

yen ($ 1,66,200).

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ASIMO

CONCLUSION

ASIMO was conceived to function in an actual human living environment in the near future. It is

easy to operate, has a convenient size and weight and can move freely within the human living

environment, all with a people friendly design. In the future, ASIMO may serve as another set of

eyes, ears, hands and legs for all kinds of people in need. Someday ASIMO might help with

important tasks like assisting the elderly or a person confined to a bed or a wheelchair. ASIMO

might also perform certain tasks that are dangerous to humans, such as fighting fires or cleaning up

toxic spills

REFERENCES

1. The Coming Robot Revolution: Expectations and Fears about emerging Intelligent, Human –

like Machines-By Yoseph Bar-Cohen, David Hanson

2. http://www.honda.ca/HondaCorpEng/AboutHonda/ASIMO/Inside_ASIMO.htm

3. http://mechatronics.mech.western.edu/design/actuators/servomotor_intro.html

4. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/asimo.htm/printable

5. http://www.forbes.com/home/21tentech.html

6. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,849588,00.asp

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