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110 Modern Robotics

Another feature, autonomous continuous movement, allows the
robot to plot a new course around a suddenly appearing obstacle
without breaking stride. Asimo’s improved visual and force-feedback
sensors include wrists that can shake hands. If someone pulls or push-
es while holding the robot’s hand, it will step forward or backward as
necessary. Finally, the robot can now run for an hour on its batteries,
up from 30 minutes.

Robotic Ambassador

On New Year’s Eve 2001, an Asimo robot joined the Japanese pop
group Smap in an onstage dance during a television performance.
Masato Hirose was a bit anxious at first about having one of his
robots in such a complex, fast-moving environment. As Hirose noted
to a reporter for Asiaweek:

I watched anxiously from under the stage. Anything could have
happened—40 people were dancing. Someone could touch Asimo by
mistake or their costumes snag him. He mightn’t endure the vibra-
tions. I was so relieved when it went well.

Another triumph for Honda and Asimo came on February 14,
2002, the 25th anniversary of Honda’s listing on the New York Stock
Exchange. Traditionally, celebrities or other people of symbolic impor-
tance are invited to ring the exchange’s opening bell from the balcony
above the trading floor. This time, though, the bell was rung by an
Asimo robot. Soon a total of seven Asimos were traveling around the
world to publicize Honda’s robotics research. Honda may soon see
some tangible returns from its investment in robotics research. The
company has announced that in 2006 some of its 40 Asimos will serve
as receptionists in Honda offices, where the robot can greet visitors and
even serve coffee from a tray. Other Asimos will be offered for lease to
companies in Japan and abroad as receptionists, museum guides, and
similar roles, at a fee of about 20 million yen ($166,000) a year.
Asimo’s greatest benefit for Honda in the coming years is likely
to be in the way it has boosted the company’s image and served as
a recruiting tool. Millions of television viewers in Japan and around