We believe every human should be given the chance to live life to its fullest. And it is our hope that through robotics, we can one day transform this belief into reality and improve the lives of people all over the world. ASIMO embodies our commitment to these ideals, and over the past 30-plus years has enabled us to research and develop the kinds of breakthrough innovations that can truly make a difference in people’s lives.
Originally conceived as a vehicle for advancing human mobility, ASIMO has helped us achieve more than we could have possibly. ‘Stride Management Assist’ supports those with weakened leg muscles – using motors to help lift the person’s legs forward and backward. While ‘Bodyweight Support Assist’ helps people who struggle to support their own bodyweight – especially in work environments which require crouching for long periods of time.
We also have ASIMO to thank for our ‘Rider’s Assist Technology.’ It completely removes the weight and strain of a motorbike and automatically balances it at slow speeds - or even at a standstill. This results in complete control – even for people with physical limitations. It is truly a marvel to see and experience – the result of years of research and an unmatched desire to dream up new and innovative ways of improving human mobility.
Beyond mobility, our engineers have also challenged themselves to make ASIMO more human – to create more seamless interaction between humans and robots. Because of their dedication ASIMO can react and distinguish between human voices and movements, while also being able to speak sign language – the first language of over 70-milllion people worldwide. Through these advances it is our hope that future generations will be inspired to study the sciences.
In the future, Honda has dreams of ASIMO serving humankind as another set of eyes, ears, hands and legs for people in need, assisting the elderly or people confined to a bed or wheelchair – even perform dangerous tasks like fighting fires or cleaning up toxic spills. Who knows? Because when it comes to Honda technology, there are no limits to how we can improve our world.