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Siri Eyes Free coming to 2013 Honda Accord, along with Acura RDX and ILX
Good news for Honda fans: the automobile manufacturer has just revealed which of its 2013 vehicles will receive support for Apple's hands-free extension of Siri, known as Eyes Free. Namely, the feature will be available as a dealer-installed option for the Honda Accord, along with the RDX and ILX from Acura. Mum's currently the word on software integration, but it's worth pointing out that the HondaLink infotainment system was previously revealed to debut on the 2013 Accord, and both the RDX and ILX feature AcuraLink -- so, you do the math. Honda's yet to reveal pricing for the kit, but hey, it's something to haggle about.
Honda's HEARBO robot can separate and locate four sound sources at once (video)
Robots are already adept at all manner of things, from hunting to feeling, but over at Honda's Research Institute, one team is focused on an ability bots aren't so hot at yet -- hearing. Puny humans can quickly deduce the direction of a sound and assess its significance, while also ignoring unimportant background noise. Honda is trying to replicate these traits with HEARBO, a robot with eight microphones hidden in its head. Using its HARK software system, HEARBO can distinguish between and locate the position of up to four unique sound sources simultaneously to within one degree of accuracy. It can also filter out din generated by its own 17 motors with a method called "ego-noise suppression." HEARBO's sound localization skills are shown in the first video below, while the second proves it can beat match, dance poorly, and isolate voice commands when music is playing and motors are whirring. The overall goal of Honda's efforts is to generally advance intelligent speech and sound recognition technology. We can't help but wonder, however, if bots will just end up using it to pinpoint our screams when the inevitable occurs.
Honda sells its millionth hybrid, sits in Toyota's rear-view mirror for now
Honda's hybrid cars just haven't achieved the same cachet as Toyota's without a poster child like the Prius to drive demand. Nonetheless, the automaker has something to crow about with word that it has sold over a million hybrids worldwide as of the end of September. The milestone comes almost 13 years after the first Japan-bound Insight changed hands in November 1999, and after a significant expansion that includes more specialized cars like the CR-Z coupe you see here. Americans represent almost a third of the total at 318,000 vehicles that are split mostly between the Insight and the Civic Hybrid. Hitting seven digits gives Honda some eco-friendly credibility in a crowded field, although the firm might not want to brag too loudly: Toyota has sold four times as many to date and expects to sell one million hybrids just in 2012.
Honda's Miimo robotic lawn mower beats the heat, won't pour your lemonade
If you're looking to plan ahead for next summer's grueling yard chores, Honda has something that will help you sweat a bit less. The company has unveiled Miimo, a robotic lawn mower that trims 2-3mm of grass in several shifts during the course of a week. The green-thumbed robot navigates with a combination of controls, timers and sensors while working inside the constraints of a buried boundary wire. As you might expect, you'll be able to ditch the gas can as well thanks to a lithium-ion battery and docking station (similar to a Roomba). If you're worried about adjustments, cutting height can be set between 20mm (0.79 inches) and 60mm (2.36 inches) with three operation modes will suite the size of each job. When the unit arrives in Europe in early 2013, 300 and 500 models will be available sporting monikers that indicate their respective maximum cut perimeter in meters (about 328 yard for the former and 547 yards for the latter). For a few more details, head on past the break for the full PR.
Honda serves up first Fit EV to California couple, no gasoline aftertaste
Honda has handed over the keys for its first 118 MPGe Fit EV to Californians Matt and Becky Walton -- although they'll have to hand 'em back in a few years. The delivery kicks off a rollout starting in California and Oregon that will eventually reach the east coast by 2013. You can't call the couple owners, as Honda is leasing the EV for $389 per month, but should it ever go on sale, it would cost around $37,000. Packing a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery, the Fit has a range of 123 miles in the city or 76 miles combined city/highway and takes as little as three hours to re-juice with a sufficiently capable charger. Only 1,100 will be leased stateside, so if you've been dreaming of an electric Honda in your garage, you may want to check the PR quickly -- if it's not already too late.
Honda announces its HondaLink infotainment system, teams up with Aha Radio for the festivities
We've known about Honda's plans to bring Aha Radio along for the ride and the tech has already gotten cozy in Subaru and Acura autos. The company has officially outted its plan to partner with Harman to bring web radio, podcasts and both Facebook and Twitter audio news feeds to the in-dash systems of 2013 vehicles. Unlike what we saw in the BRZ, though, HondaLink will arrive with its own smartphone app in tow for pre-selecting content before hopping in the driver's seat. However, you'll still need a tethered smartphone in order to run things, the entire kit can be futzed with via steering wheel and on-dash controls. The system will also bundle Pandora and voice-to-text SMS messaging that has already made its way to some models. HondaLink will break from cover this fall in the 2013 Accord, but a peek at the preliminary interface awaits after the break.
Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration
Apple's VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall just demoed Eyes Free, Siri's new vehicle integration. The feature is being framed as a safety booster, letting you tap a steering wheel-mounted button to toggle Siri on your iOS device, rather than reaching around for your iPhone or iPad and taking precious seconds away from the road. This being Apple, there are already plenty of partners lined up -- BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all said to be on board, with Siri support making its way to vehicles within the next 12 months. It's certainly not the first example of smartphone/car integration we've seen, but it could soon end up being one of the most widely utilized, despite the years-long head-start competing technologies have enjoyed. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Honda Fit EV rated at 118 MPGe, will get you 82 of those on one charge (update)
Honda's perky little Fit EV has just been marked and measured by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has rated the dinky 'lectro-wagon at 118 MPGe, which Honda claims is the best ever score. Our friends over at Autoblog aren't so sure, noting that the Tesla Roadster eked out 119 MPGe in its testing. That said, the Fit does best the Roadster on its city rating (132 over 124 MPGe) so perhaps there's some gentle number massaging going on. With performance like that, however, we won't hold it against them. In fact we're off to buy one now. Oh wait. Update: Honda has been in contact to clarify that its rating of 118 is an official EPA score. The Tesla's 119 was based on internal testing, meaning the Fit does indeed have the top EPA rating.
Honda's UNI-CUB mobility device is the butt of ASIMO's jokes
Our humanoid friend ASIMO had better start counting his blessings. If fate had dealt him another hand, he could have ended up as the behind-wearing UNI-CUB. Honda's latest personal mobility device appears to be a robotic stool with an omnidirectional wheel (dubbed the Honda Omni Traction Drive System, no less). You control speed and direction of the UNI-CUB by shifting your weight in the saddle, and the unit is designed to keep you at eye-level with non chair-riding pedestrians. Obviously this is no all-terrain vehicle, but it does claim to be able to handle gradients, has a top speed of six km/h and a range just under four miles. Which should be plenty for the National Museum of Engineering in Japan where these butt-supporting bots will be demonstrated in June.
Honda test house features Smart Home System for controlling energy usage
The term "smart home" seems to turn up in tech circles every so often, only to fade into the background again without much sign of ultra-connected dwellings becoming a reality. Honda's at least putting one foot forward, with a just-unveiled test house in Saitama, Japan featuring a system for controlling and monitoring energy usage. The Honda Smart Home System (HSHS) consists of thin-film solar cell panels, a rechargeable home battery unit, gas and hot water supply systems and the Smart e Mix Manager. The latter is the central part of the energy-control system, and it keeps track of all the other components in addition to monitoring the home's use of power supplied by the grid. In emergency situations, it can also provide electricity via the home battery unit. On the day-to-day level, however, the system is there to let home owners know what sources of power they can kill. Honda also integrates its Japan-only Internavi system for controlling home appliances remotely. The car maker hopes to use the house for extensive demo testing, with an ultimate goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent. No word on how many decades till we actually call this sort of place home, though. Click on past the break for a look (in Japanese) at the test home's features.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar-powered plane, chrome Fisker Karma and the 'blackest' solar cells ever
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. With the days getting longer and the spring sun creeping into the evening hours this week, we saw a host of impressive solar energy projects that put those rays to work. Kyocera revealed their plan for Japan's largest solar farm and French company Areva announced they will be building the largest solar installation in Asia. On the other side of the globe, New York City was proud to say that it recently tripled its solar power production and a new study showed that the United States pulled ahead of China in the clean energy race this year. We also saw designs for a new solar satellite that could harvest the sun's rays 24/7 and we ogled photos of the massive array of PV panels topping the zHome complex in Washington. A team at Natcore blew away the scientific community by creating the "blackest" solar cell ever designed and Panasonic gave us a sneak peek at its shimmering, solar-powered "Photosynthesis" Ecosystem installation, which will light up the night at the Milan Furniture Fair next week. In green transportation news, Justin Bieber's blindingly shiny chrome Fisker Karma had people talking (and putting on their sunglasses), while the former head of R&D at GM predicted that we'll see driverless cars by 2020. Honda announced that it is teaming up with Zipcar to provide EVs and hybrids to Zipsters and Ferrari confirmed that its future V12 models will have a new hybrid system. Finally, SolarWorld sent us news about their new Elektra solar-powered plane, which can fly twice as far as its predecessor. Smart design continued to make the world a little better with innovations like this vibrating glove that lets blind people text and Montessori's Intro to Letters app, which teaches kids the alphabet. We also got back into nature (literally) with these see-through bubble tents surrounded by trees, and we reflected upon the mysterious human-shaped mirror sculptures that popped up in a Scottish forest.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: worlds largest LEGO Christmas tree, turbine powered LEDs and a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week Inhabitat got into the spirit of the holiday season as we reported that a French firm wants to transform the Eiffel Tower into a gigantic tree, we brought you the world's largest LEGO Christmas tree, and we watched GE flip the switch on the new National Christmas Tree, which is decked out with high-tech LED lights. We also spotted a seriously sweet Star Wars AT-AT walker made entirely from gingerbread, and we shined the spotlight on the amazing life-size light-up ice palaces that rise each year at the Harbin snow festival in China.
Honda Fit EV goes lease-only for 2012, should hit US next summer for $399 per month (video)
If you're looking to buy a car to keep around for the long-haul (200,000 miles, anyone?), then Honda should probably near the top of your list. That's why we're a bit surprised to see that next year's all-electric Fit won't have a purchase option -- not initially, at least. The car does carry an MSRP of $36,625, but at this point that figure will be used for little more than to calculate the approximately $399 per month lease fee. If your credit's up to snuff and you end up behind the wheel, expect the 20-kWh lithium-ion battery to provide an estimated city range of 123 miles, with a combined rating of 76 miles. The on-board 6.6-kW 32-amp charger juices up the battery in as little as three hours with level-two EVSE. You can expect the all-blue Fit to reach parts of California and Oregon next summer, with East Coast dealers stocking the EV by 2013. Only 1,100 cars are expected to reach U.S. shores, however, so you may want to add your local Honda dealer to the holiday card list -- it certainly can't hurt your chances of getting Fit next summer.%Gallery-139803% Dante Cesa contributed to this report.
Honda's Small Sports EV concept proves electric can be svelte, comes to Tokyo Motor Show next month
Honda fans, hope you're down for some last-minute tickets to Japan, as the automaker plans to release not one, but seven (!) stunning concepts at the upcoming Tokyo Motor show. Ranging from plug-in hybrids to electric motorcycles, we're most stoked about the Small Sports EV -- a dashing two-seat roadster that reminds us stylistically of BMW's i8. Details are light, but Honda promises that it'll be fun to drive, yet also achieve "excellent environmental performance." Alongside it is the plug-in hybrid AC-X, which looks like an LED-ridden redux of the lease-only FCX. And finally, there's the Micro Commuter concept, which despite looking the least production-ready of the three, gets kudos for having a dedicated spot to load the accompanying Motor Compo EV motorcycle. Not much else to report on all seven this far out, but that doesn't mean you can't ogle at photos of these three and their motorcycle brethren at the links below.
Honda's ASIMO robot sheds a few pounds, gets all autonomous on us (video)
We've already seen it dance, sing and read minds, but Honda's ASIMO humanoid has now taken that one great leap into decidedly more dystopian territory. The revamped bot, pictured above (and apparently doing its best Herman Cain impression), was unveiled today in Japan, sporting a streamlined physique and scarily adept mind. In fact, Honda claims that its bot is now less "automated" than it is "autonomous" -- all thanks to new behavior control technology that allows it to move and make decisions on its own, independent of human operators. Its external recognition capability and set of onboard visual and auditory sensors enable it to rapidly process information about its environment, which the ASIMO then uses to plot its next move. Combining long- and short-term sensor data, the droid can predict human movements and automatically recognize voices or gestures. Because of this, Honda says, the ASIMO could be more easily integrated within social environments, and peacefully coexist with its human prey counterparts. Physically, meanwhile, the robot's looking svelter than ever, having shed a full six kilograms. It can now run at a maximum speed of 9 kilometers per hour, jump up and down for as long as it wants, and even hop on one leg, should it ever need to. Plus, its hands are now more dexterous than ever, thanks to new independent finger control functions that allow it to handle the most delicate of tasks -- like pouring you a stiff one after work, or before your inevitable demise. Check out more images in the gallery below, or hop past the break for a video and accompanying press release. %Gallery-138746%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: CR-V hybrid, Facebook's server farm and robot costumes
The world of green tech presented us with some neat tricks and eco-treats this week from this plan to 3D print new shells for homeless hermit crabs to this handy LeafSnap app that helps you identify all different kinds of fall foliage to an energy-efficient UFO hotel room, which recently "landed" in the forests of Sweden. Speaking of spaceships, we also spotted this Star Trek Enterprise feeding system for babies (you're never too young to live long and prosper) as well as plans for a massive nuclear-powered airport/airplane that could fly as many as 3,000 passengers through the sky, and Philips showed off its eerie and futuristic bacteria-powered lamps. In honor of All Hallow's Eve, we rounded up the top six creepiest buildings of all time as well as six spooky churches made of bones. And just in case you missed the craziest Halloween story of the week, check these photos of a trio of ghastly zombies bursting out of the world's largest pumpkin's hell, er, shell. On the green transportation front, we took the Honda CR-V hybrid for a spin and came across news that Tesla will reintroduce its sexy roadster in 2014. We also saw that GM is working on cars that could drop drivers off at their destinations and even park themselves, and the auto giant impressed us even further by joining Ford and Chrysler, who are working closely with engineering students from the University of Michigan Solar Car Team to create viable solar-powered cars for the future. But if you can't wait that long, this Solarship is a blimp-like solar-powered airship that actually exists today. In tech news, Facebook announced that they'll be building a fancy new server farm in the Arctic. And speaking of cold weather, we also spotted where this clever Umbrella coat that has a handy umbrella instead of a hood - perfect for rainy fall days. A new study showing that TV is officially harmful to children under two confirmed some of our suspicions and we also saw news of a judge who ruled that cell phone warnings be blocked in San Francisco. If you're planning on dressing up for Halloween, don't forget to enter our Green Halloween costume contest (or your kids in our Inhabitots costume contest) for some frightfully fabulous prizes. If you need some inspiration, we've got a slew of techie costume ideas you could cobble together from things you already own like this delightful iPhone getup or this homemade robot outfit.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Civic hybrid gets driven, AT-AT dog costume gets worn
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Incredible feats of green architecture reached for the sky this week as Inhabitat reported that the world's first vertical forest skyscraper is rising in Milan and an outdoor cinema made entirely from refrigerators popped up in London. We also took a look inside a crazy mountain lodge that resembles a hill-like hobbit high-rise and we spotted a Finnish hotel that rents out glass-domed geodesic igloos for viewing the northern lights. We also launched a brand new video that takes an inside look at this year's winning Solar Decathlon homes, we kicked off a contest where you can win one of 25 $600 home energy audits, and we learned that China's coal-powered energy grid negates the green benefits of electric vehicles. Speaking of green transportation, this week we caught a glimpse of several next-generation electric vehicle technologies as Nissan unveiled a ten minute electric vehicle charger and Chevrolet announced plans to produce a Spark mini EV. We also took Honda's new Civic hybrid for a spin, and we learned that Tesla's new Model S sedan will be powered by highly efficient Panasonic batteries. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to cut its carbon footprint in half by fueling airplanes with waste gas and Germany announced that 100 percent of its trains will run on renewable energy by 2050. In other news, techy fashion got a jolt of affordability as we spotted an economical LED jacket for night cyclists and runners, and we took a look at the story behind Steve Jobs' iconic black turtlenecks. We also got into the Halloween spirit by bringing you an adorable Star Wars AT-AT costume for dogs, and we showcased a creepy set of "stained glass" windows made from x-rays. Finally, we shined the spotlight on India's solar-powered water ATMs, and we brought you a can't-miss set of tips for recycling e-waste.
ASIMO mimics your every move, edges closer towards Single White Robot territory (video)
Hey, look Engadgeteers! It's another Kinect hack -- except this one uses a real deal robot. Honda ushered ASIMO out to the crowds at IEEE's 2011 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems to show off its newly acquired pop and lock skills. Alright, so the silicon-gutted fella can't krump with the best of'em yet, but he can probably do the locomotion -- it all depends on your dance repertoire. After toiling away in their mad scientist lairs, the researchers behind the bot have managed to devise a means of mimicking human movement that translates mapped points on a user's upper body into real-time, robot-replicated motion. The devious among you are likely imagining left-of-center uses for the tech, but let us deflate that mischievous balloon; there'll be no instances of "stop hitting yourself ASIMO" here, as engineers have built-in collision and stability safeguards. The so-lifelike-it's-Uncanny advancements don't end there either, since ASIMO also contains a database of text-inspired gestures -- giving our future robot friend a means of physically expressing his cold, "I hate you so much right now" robo-tone. Other than finding himself at home in Italy, these innovations are sure to put ASIMO on the other end of our remote-controlled behest. Click on past the break to see this automated mime drop it like it's hot.
UK gets first hydrogen refueling station, Honda lot graciously plays host
UK-based treehuggers can bust out the internet high fives now. Merry ol' Swindon just got the British isles' first ever commercial hydrogen refueling station. Part of a collaborative effort between industrial gas company BOC (which built and maintains the pumps), the Forward Swindon economic initiative and Honda, owners can roll their clean energy machines into the automaker's manufacturing lot for a fill-up. BOC's hoping the experience, which reportedly looks and functions much like a traditional gas station, will serve as an example of the private - public partnerships required to rollout infrastructure for alternative energy adoption. So, it's good news for the fuel cell-equipped handful of you cruising about Swindon town, or just passing through on a 'round the world tour. Of course, no official word as to whether Tilda Swinton plans to officiate the opening. Official PR after the break.
Car Connectivity Consortium forms to bring more smartphones to more interiors
Though Terminal Mode has always been an open standard we've never really seen any tech companies outside of Espoo show much interest in the stuff, which lets a car mirror a phone's display. When Nokia sort of shifted gears and signed on with Microsoft that left us wondering what would be next for the company's infotainment efforts. Good things, as it turns out. The Car Connectivity Consortium has been founded to drive "global innovation for in-vehicle connectivity," and both Terminal Mode and Nokia will play a big part -- though a bigger part will be played by Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and VW. They're joined by electronics companies Alpine, LG, Panasonic, and Samsung, making us think that maybe Terminal Mode's time has properly come. Also on the docket for the CCC is study of NFC, which will hopefully standardize the sort of awesome key interactivity BMW recently showed off.
