Smooth Moves: The History and Evolution of Honda’s ASIMO Robot

As the robotics realm continues to heat up, Honda’s ASIMO (short for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) is something of an old-timer.

It’s been around for 14 years, and has seen continual improvements – check out the above video for more of the backstory.

While some robots have a more menacing look – ahem, Atlas – ASIMO has always played the part of a cutesy, Jetsons-style robot meant, in Honda’s words, “to help those in society who need assistance.”

In that spirit, ASIMO is able to do things like opening and serving beverages. It knows sign language – both Japanese and English. It can avoid bumping into people in hallways. Stuff like that.

At the International Auto Show in New York last week, Honda showed off ASIMO’s latest improvements. The robot, once relatively rigid and… well, robotic, is now far more nimble, able to run, jump, climb stairs and kick soccer balls with more human-like dexterity.