Page 123 - Modern Robotics Building Versatile Macines

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ROBOT AMBASSADOR

MASATO HIROSE AND ASIMO

or about two decades, walking robots have strut their stuff in
Flaboratories, with varying degrees of success. More practical
service robots have rolled through hospital corridors or vacuumed
floors. What if there could be a small, versatile humanoid robot that
could not only walk gracefully but also climb stairs with ease? Such
a robot could combine practicality with the ability to truly fit into
peoples’ daily activities. In recent years, the answer to this quest for
more versatile robots has begun to emerge. Masato Hirose and his
fellow researchers at Honda Corporation have been astonishing and
intriguing the world with a succession of such robots, culminating
in one called Asimo.

From Motorcycles to Robotics

Masato Hirose was born on February 7, 1956, in Tochigi Prefecture,
Japan. In 1980, he received a degree in precision engineering from
Utsunomiya University. After further studies, he went to work for
Honda Corporation. In 1986, Hirose was assigned to an innovative
robotics project. Although he had no real prior experience in robot-
ics, Hirose, whose childhood had been filled with cartoon superhe-
roes such as “The Mighty Atom” was intrigued with the possibility
of bringing science fiction ideas to reality.
Although such an interest in robotics might seem surprising for
a company better known for motorcycles and automobiles, Hirose

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