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ASIMO learns to understand three people at once
ASIMO has already proven itself to be pretty multi-talented, but it looks like it's now added yet another trick to its repertoire, with a pair of researchers giving it the ability to understand three people speaking at once. That was done with the aid of eight microphones and a specially-designed software program dubbed HARK, which works out where each voice is coming from and isolates it from other sounds. Right now, however, that's only being used to referee games of rock-paper-scissors, with each individual shouting out their choice at once, but the researchers eventually hope to get ASIMO up to the level of humans' ability to listen at a cocktail party, although they admit that is still a "long way" off.
Video: ASIMO burns as Yo-Yo Ma fiddles
Stand down oh gentle readers and defenders of the flesh, we're getting reports from Detroit that the baton wielding ASIMO did not direct the human race to its doom. Instead, Yo-Yo Ma is safe and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert went off without a hitch while netting the DSO a cool million for the musical education of Grosse Pointe's children. Of course, the Honda-built robot wasn't so lucky as he got "keyed" on his walk back through the parking lot. We kid, we kid.Update: Video added after the break.[Thanks, Funke]
Honda's ASIMO robot to conduct Yo-Yo Ma and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
One of our favorite bots, Honda's versatile ASIMO, will finally spread its wings and embrace the artistic future it's always hoped for. On May 13, the automaton will conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra -- and Yo-Yo Ma -- in a performance of Impossible Dream. The DSO and Honda have combined forces to bring music education to children in Detroit, and ASIMO's concert will be the launching point for a number of projects the Japanese monolith will be sponsoring in the industrial city. Sure, this isn't the first time we've seen a robot conducting an orchestra, but we're fairly confident it will be the best... provided the little guy doesn't take any bad steps.
Honda's transforming Rose Parade float in action
With all of yesterday's excitement over the availability of TV converter box coupons, we totally spaced on the annual Rose Parade, featuring that crazy ASIMO-piloted, transforming Ridgeline float from Honda. Well luckily a member of the YouTube nation was able to (rather shakily) capture a full transformation sequence on home video, which you can catch in three parts after the break. Our take? Pretty impressive for a parade float, but pit this achingly-slow changer against any one of the Decepticons in a ROBO-One-style deathmatch, and Honda would have a lot of truck-plane pieces to sweep up after the carnage.
Giant ASIMO replica to pilot Honda's transforming Rose Parade float
Generally we're a little too, um, preoccupied on New Year's Day to bother with such trifles as opening our eyes and watching the annual Rose Parade from Pasadena, but with Honda planning an ambitious float for 2008 that will feature a gigantic ASIMO replica riding a transforming Honda Ridgeline, well, at the very least we'll be setting our DVR. According to American Honda, which provides the Tournament of Roses with hundreds of vehicles and has won numerous awards for its entries in the past, its generators will cause "the hood of the truck to fold forward to become an aircraft cockpit, the doors and sides of the truck to unfold outward to become wings, the wheels to tuck under the body, and the bed of the truck to open and take on the form of an aircraft tail section, complete with rocket engines - and even real fire." Giant robots piloting huge fire-breathing truck-planes? If this truly is a "Passport to the Future" as Honda claims, you can sign us up! Lots more pics in the gallery below, and a full seven-part, behind-the-scenes mini-documentary after the break. %Gallery-12426% [Via The Raw Feed, photos and videos courtesy of Honda]
Honda's ASIMO getting more intelligent?
We're not getting too hopeful about all of this just yet, but reportedly, Honda has worked a new series of "cutting-edge intelligence technologies" into ASIMO. Apparently aimed to keep the poor humanoid from tumbling down stairs, the improvements will supposedly enable it to "operate autonomously with people and other ASIMOs," essentially making it more suitable for real world use. More specifically, the new technologies include a "new system that enables multiple ASIMO humanoid robots to share tasks and work together to provide uninterrupted service to people," an automatic charging function, intelligence to avoid obstacles by stepping back or yielding to oncoming objects and the ability to "perform tasks such as carrying a tray and pushing a trolley." That sound you hear? Yeah, that's the collective grumbling of butlers / maids the world over.[Via Pocket-Lint]
Video: Asimo's North American trade show debut
The last time we saw Asimo, it was falling down stairs. Call us sadists, but we went to Honda's press conference hoping we'd see a repeat performance from the biped. Unfortunately for us, the three-foot tall humanoid robot didn't fall over, but instead ran across stage, ran in circles and even made it up the stairs. Watch Asimo's North American trade show debut above, or download, or download below the full 13:51 movie.[MP4] Download the movie (82.5 MB)
Honda Asimo takes a nasty fall
You know how you're watching those hidden camera or funny home video shows and someone gets hurt real bad, and you're laughing at them and pitying them simultaneously? That's how we felt when we saw Asimo fall down a set of stairs during a demo. It's ugly, man. Aismo turns its head and falls back, seized up like a clenched fist as sparks fly -- and yet it keeps on chattering away to the audience as robo-medics rush to the scene. One day we're going to pay for this. Video after the break. [Via Pink Tentacle]
