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Rediff.com  » Business » Honda's Asimo plays soccer with President Obama!
This article was first published 10 years ago

Honda's Asimo plays soccer with President Obama!

Last updated on: April 29, 2014 17:10 IST


Photographs: Courtesy, Honda

Honda Motor's humanoid robot ASIMO greeted US President Barack Obama at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Reuters

Amazed by Asimo’s capabilities, Obama joined the robot to play a game of soccer.

ASIMO told Obama, “I can really run fast. I can kick a soccer ball, too.” 

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Larry Downing/Reuters

Obama found the robot “life-like” and was impressed by its capabilities.

ASIMO stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility. ASIMO was created to be a helper for ailing people.

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: ASIMO greets German actress Anke Engelke.
Photographs: Courtesy, Honda

The latest robot features enhanced hand movements, including the ability to sign in both Japanese and American sign language, as well as the ability to run faster than previously, climb stairs more smoothly, hop, jump, balance on one foot, and transition seamlessly between walking and running, among other new and unique capabilities.

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Honda's second version of the humanoid robot Asimo climbs a flight of stairs in Barcelona.
Photographs: Reuters

“ASIMO was designed to help those in society who need assistance, and Honda believes that these improvements in ASIMO bring us another step closer to our ultimate goal of being able to help all kinds of people in need,” said Satoshi Shigemi, Senior Chief Engineer with Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Japan, responsible for humanoid robotics.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Japan's mime artists HIRO-PON and Ketch performs with Honda Motor's humanoid robot Asimo.
Photographs: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

ASIMO’s height of four feet, three inches makes it ideal for helping around the house, or assisting a person confined to a bed or a wheelchair.

Tags: ASIMO , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo plays a ball during a presentation at the university of Bielefeld during its first appearance in Germany.
Photographs: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

ASIMO’s size also allows it to look directly at an adult sitting in a chair or sitting up in bed for easy communication. 

Tags: ASIMO , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo pours a drink into a cup during a news conference at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo.
Photographs: Toru Hanai/Reuters

Honda started developing humanoid robots in 1986. 

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo serves tea to a visitor during the Johannesburg International Motor Show at Nasrec in Johannesburg.
Photographs: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

The world’s first self-regulating, bipedal (two-legged) humanoid robot, named P2, was completed by Honda in December 1996. 

Tags: ASIMO , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Yukio Hatoyama shakes hands with Asimo.
Photographs: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

P3, the first completely independent, bipedal humanoid walking robot, arrived in September 1997.

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo pushes a cart at the Honda headquarters in Tokyo.
Photographs: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

P3 stood 5’2” tall and weighed 286 pounds (130 kilograms).  ASIMO was completed October 31, 2000 and remains the most advanced humanoid robot ever created, says Honda.

Tags: ASIMO , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo makes introductions at an exhibition pavilion inside the media center for G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit.
Photographs: Yuriko Nakao/Reuters

The new model of ASIMO is powered by a 51.8v lithium ion (Li-ION) battery.

Tags: ASIMO , ION , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!

Image: Asimo serves some drinks during a presentation at the university of Bielefeld during its first appearance in Germany.
Photographs: Ina Fassbender/Reuters

ASIMO can operate for approximately one hour on a single battery.

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Tags: ASIMO , Honda

Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Albert Gea/Reuters

Asimo salutes the crowd in Barcelona during its first appearance in Europe.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Asimo demonstrates its ability to hop during a demonstration for the media at the Jacob Javits Convention Center during the New York International Auto Show in New York.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Honda Motor's humanoid robot Asimo (R) runs past the audience at a Tokyo science museum during its first appearance outside Honda's facilities.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/Reuters

Asimo walks after it was presented by Motor manufacturer Honda at the annual car exhibition Helsinki Motor Show in Helsinki.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Courtesy, Honda

ASIMO, joined by the U3-X for the first time ever in Europe, is performing at the Moscow International Automobile Show.

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Honda's ASIMO plays soccer with President Obama!


Photographs: Courtesy, Honda

ASIMO entertains people at an AirVenture event.

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