But can it play angry birds?
November 8, 2011 9:38 AM Subscribe
Honda demonstrates the newest version of their Asimo robot. "With a further advance in autonomy, the all-new ASIMO can now continue moving without being controlled by an operator. Moreover, with significantly improved intelligence and the physical ability to adapt to situations, ASIMO took another step closer to practical use in an office or a public space where many people come and go."
The way he runs around, it looks like he thinks he's being stealthy, like a kid pretending to be a ninja.
posted by Think_Long at 9:46 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by Think_Long at 9:46 AM on November 8, 2011
It still walks like it's got a poopy diaper.
posted by Catblack at 9:47 AM on November 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by Catblack at 9:47 AM on November 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
How about they fix the cabin noise in the Honda CR-V?
posted by stormpooper at 9:52 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by stormpooper at 9:52 AM on November 8, 2011
Moreover, with significantly improved intelligence and the physical ability to adapt to situations, ASIMO took another step closer to practical use in an office or a public space where many people come and go.
Looks like they still haven't worked out the intelligence and physical ability to let the poor bastard go to the bathroom.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:52 AM on November 8, 2011
Looks like they still haven't worked out the intelligence and physical ability to let the poor bastard go to the bathroom.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:52 AM on November 8, 2011
Some human presumably gives the robot some sort of command, which the robot follows. It's not completely autonomous, is it?
Think of the difference between an RC car and a Roomba.
posted by empath at 9:54 AM on November 8, 2011
Think of the difference between an RC car and a Roomba.
posted by empath at 9:54 AM on November 8, 2011
As long as they never give it the ability to climb trees, we'll be okay.
And a nice bookend to our career at the top of the food chain; back to the trees from whence we fell.
posted by notyou at 9:57 AM on November 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
And a nice bookend to our career at the top of the food chain; back to the trees from whence we fell.
posted by notyou at 9:57 AM on November 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
It's pretty amazing stuff, especially the dexterity of the new hands. All credit to Honda for continuing to push the boundaries with this stuff; it's truly a 'long-term' plan that very few companies seem to be willing to take these days.
posted by modernnomad at 9:57 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by modernnomad at 9:57 AM on November 8, 2011
Anyone else have the immediate and totally inexplicable response of feeling sorry for the little guy?
posted by eugenen at 9:58 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by eugenen at 9:58 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm not impressed. I've seen people run way weirder than that.
posted by glaucon at 10:01 AM on November 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by glaucon at 10:01 AM on November 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
As long as they never give it the ability to climb trees, we'll be okay.
Yes, because a robot could never learn to use a chain saw ...
posted by Jonathan Livengood at 10:03 AM on November 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yes, because a robot could never learn to use a chain saw ...
posted by Jonathan Livengood at 10:03 AM on November 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I actually think we've advanced from the "walks like it's got a poopy diaper" stage of robot evolution; we're now well into "runs like it's got to pee right away" territory.
posted by roystgnr at 10:07 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by roystgnr at 10:07 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, this yt needs to get in a fight with ASIMO.
That thing is exactly what most people probably imagine when they think of 'terrifying robot'.
Jesus.
That was pretty awesome, though. Thanks for sharing.
posted by graphnerd at 10:11 AM on November 8, 2011
That thing is exactly what most people probably imagine when they think of 'terrifying robot'.
Jesus.
That was pretty awesome, though. Thanks for sharing.
posted by graphnerd at 10:11 AM on November 8, 2011
The way it sort of looks contemplatively at its hand as it reaches out for that thermos on the table, as if suddenly realizing the magnitude of its brute physical strength, is a little unsettling.
posted by invitapriore at 10:14 AM on November 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by invitapriore at 10:14 AM on November 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
Don't believe any of it. There's a little guy inside!
posted by JtJ at 10:17 AM on November 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by JtJ at 10:17 AM on November 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Little People are inside them? I'm going to prepare a simple but delicious meal, and if that doesn't calm me down, I'm going to open a beer.
posted by panaceanot at 10:24 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by panaceanot at 10:24 AM on November 8, 2011
That thing is exactly what most people probably imagine when they think of 'terrifying robot'.
No, THIS is what most people imagine when they think of 'terrifying robot'.
Hey! ASIMO! We got you apuppy pony something!
And now: your Keepon Moment of Zen. All robots in this video guaranteed to be 100% ADORABLE!
posted by maudlin at 10:51 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
No, THIS is what most people imagine when they think of 'terrifying robot'.
Hey! ASIMO! We got you a
And now: your Keepon Moment of Zen. All robots in this video guaranteed to be 100% ADORABLE!
posted by maudlin at 10:51 AM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
yeah the hand movements impressed me.
wow this feels pretty dystopian
ASIMO: *attempts to enforce morally indefensible command*
Humans: attack asimo in rage
Jury: Indicts humans for property damage
posted by the mad poster! at 11:04 AM on November 8, 2011
wow this feels pretty dystopian
ASIMO: *attempts to enforce morally indefensible command*
Humans: attack asimo in rage
Jury: Indicts humans for property damage
posted by the mad poster! at 11:04 AM on November 8, 2011
I wonder what the power requirements on this will ultimately be? So will it need a charge after five minutes or eight hours?
posted by dibblda at 11:18 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by dibblda at 11:18 AM on November 8, 2011
It seems like the old one got about an hour of battery life, although I'm sure the running hurts that. A fairly significant portion of the weight is in the batteries, over 10%.
posted by smackfu at 11:23 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by smackfu at 11:23 AM on November 8, 2011
The way it runs is really creepy, like it's creeping up behind someone to doghdhndfc hvbkvbzdfmv mnczvfmcv,bv
posted by memebake at 11:57 AM on November 8, 2011
posted by memebake at 11:57 AM on November 8, 2011
I've always wanted to see a fight pitched as a BattleBots - Robot Wars kind of thing, that reveals itself to be a couple of Asimos or QRIOs fighting like a couple of 2nd graders, and one wins when the other sits down and starts crying.
People would anthropomorphize the hell out of it, and feel terrible for cheering them on when the bawling started.
It'd be fantastic.
posted by quin at 12:07 PM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
People would anthropomorphize the hell out of it, and feel terrible for cheering them on when the bawling started.
It'd be fantastic.
posted by quin at 12:07 PM on November 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Why are we wasting millions of dollars when we can do it cheaper and safer with humans? We have plenty of other problems on earth that the money could be put to use solving!
posted by Atreides at 12:31 PM on November 8, 2011
posted by Atreides at 12:31 PM on November 8, 2011
My eyes read Asimo but my brain hears AWESOM-O.
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:38 PM on November 8, 2011
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:38 PM on November 8, 2011
God, that's really coming along. I think it's how they have its head tracking what the hands are doing that makes it feel so "real".
posted by Iteki at 1:08 PM on November 8, 2011
posted by Iteki at 1:08 PM on November 8, 2011
Do what?
Pour tea into a cup, I think…
In any case, I don't see the number one gold standard robot platform test here: jabbing it with a broomstick or kicking it really hard in the side while it's going about its business and seeing if it recovers. The inability to fall over when screwed with is what makes all the Boston Dynamics creations so impressive/scary. ASIMO has historically been running a preset script- I'm not so sure what would happen if you moved that cup six inches to the left or right. I think their claims about operator independence may amount to an automatic system for turning it off if it falls over or runs into a wall.
posted by monocyte at 1:09 PM on November 8, 2011
Pour tea into a cup, I think…
In any case, I don't see the number one gold standard robot platform test here: jabbing it with a broomstick or kicking it really hard in the side while it's going about its business and seeing if it recovers. The inability to fall over when screwed with is what makes all the Boston Dynamics creations so impressive/scary. ASIMO has historically been running a preset script- I'm not so sure what would happen if you moved that cup six inches to the left or right. I think their claims about operator independence may amount to an automatic system for turning it off if it falls over or runs into a wall.
posted by monocyte at 1:09 PM on November 8, 2011
Do what?
You know, do it. Why bother with robot prostitution when the good ol' regular version has been working well for so long?
Seriously, though, things like space travel and such could definitely not be done cheaper and safer with humans. Hell, we've already stuck a spacewalking robot up in the ISS, why not send them to Mars to set up a colony instead of having to keep humans alive during the arduous process? Then once it's habitable, send humans on over. That is, unless practicality has won out and someone inevitably asks "Wait, why are we sending humans to Mars when robots can just do it safer and easier?" That'll be a sad day.
Damn you, cold war, for the collapse of the space program! We'd have been to Mars by now with proper humans before anyone decided it wasn't worth it.
posted by gregoryg at 1:11 PM on November 8, 2011
You know, do it. Why bother with robot prostitution when the good ol' regular version has been working well for so long?
Seriously, though, things like space travel and such could definitely not be done cheaper and safer with humans. Hell, we've already stuck a spacewalking robot up in the ISS, why not send them to Mars to set up a colony instead of having to keep humans alive during the arduous process? Then once it's habitable, send humans on over. That is, unless practicality has won out and someone inevitably asks "Wait, why are we sending humans to Mars when robots can just do it safer and easier?" That'll be a sad day.
Damn you, cold war, for the collapse of the space program! We'd have been to Mars by now with proper humans before anyone decided it wasn't worth it.
posted by gregoryg at 1:11 PM on November 8, 2011
Damn you, cold war, for the collapse of the space program!
I blame Nixon, myself...
posted by mikelieman at 1:37 PM on November 8, 2011
I blame Nixon, myself...
posted by mikelieman at 1:37 PM on November 8, 2011
Weren't the bar tending robots the first ones to be disgraced in the Animatrix?
Slippery slope people. Slippery slope.
posted by AzzaMcKazza at 3:33 PM on November 8, 2011
Slippery slope people. Slippery slope.
posted by AzzaMcKazza at 3:33 PM on November 8, 2011
I think it was Karl Pilkington who observed that ASIMO looks like it's shat itself, and once you've seen that, you just can't unsee it.
posted by salmacis at 2:16 AM on November 9, 2011
posted by salmacis at 2:16 AM on November 9, 2011
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HONDA CONVERTS ASIMO "ROBOT" INTO ASIMO ROBOT
posted by DU at 9:40 AM on November 8, 2011