ASIMO BOOGIES TO RASA SAYANG IN HIS JOHOR DEBUT

Surprise Rasa Sayang Dance Specially for Johoreans

Johor Bahru, 20 November 2008 – ASIMO today demonstrated a surprise dance to the tune of Rasa Sayang to spice up the Johor leg of his road tour in Malaysia. Making his debut in Johor, ASIMO showcased his latest capabilities and the Rasa Sayang dance which gave his show a Malaysian twist. The audience watched in excitement and awe as ASIMO demonstrated his latest features to inspire them.

ASIMO, which is the acronym for Advanced Step In Innovative Mobility, arrived in Malaysia late October and Johor is the southern most city he is visiting in his road tour. The dancing to Rasa Sayang whereby ASIMO had the audience dancing along was definitely the highlight of his demonstration together with his ability to now run faster at 6km/hour.
Prior to Johor, ASIMO visited Petrosains in Kuala Lumpur and had a media preview and roashow in 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya. ASIMO also made a special stop for his first ever visit to a university in Malaysia - Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - where he inspired more than 2,000 undergraduates and students to reach for their dreams.

ASIMO will be in City Square, Johor Bahru from November 20 - 23, 2008. After Johor, ASIMO will travel to Penang to make a special appearance at the Penang Adventist Hospital on November 25 and a road tour in Queensbay Mall on November 27 - 30, 2008.

Honda hopes that by bringing ASIMO on these road tours in Malaysia will help inspire Malaysians to challenge themselves and reach for their dreams.

Visit www.honda.com.my/asimo or www.world.honda.com/ASIMO today to find out more about ASIMO.

ASIMO ARRIVES TO INSPIRE MALAYSIANS

ASIMO Demonstrates Around Malaysia to Bring Hope and Inspiration

Petaling Jaya, 14 November 2008 – Dancing, kicking a ball, serving drinks and with the latest improvements, the new version ASIMO can now run faster at 6km/hour – these are the new capabilities demonstrated by ASIMO at 1 Utama today. Making its first official public appearance in a special preview since its arrival in late October, ASIMO hopes to inspire Malaysians to reach for their dreams.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia, Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto said, “Everyone in Honda lives and breathes the tagline The Power of Dreams. Twenty-two years ago, ASIMO’s creators had a dream of a humanoid robot assisting in human society. Today, after 22 years of research and development, that dream has become a reality through ASIMO which symbolises Honda’s technological advancement. I hope via ASIMO, we will be able to share with Malaysians our Challenging Spirit that drives us all this years. We will continuously challenge ourselves to improve lives through mobility innovations and technology advancement. ASIMO is that dream. ASIMO is that challenging spirit in reality.”

Born on October 31, 2000, at 1.3 metres tall and 54 kilograms, ASIMO, which is the acronym for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, was created as the world’s first advanced humanoid robot that is able to run and move similarly to a human.

The introduction of the enhanced Intelligent Real Time Flexible Walking (i-Walk) technology has amazingly improved ASIMO’s mobility. Today, the new ASIMO has greater stability in response to sudden movement. Besides walking forward, backwards, going up and down stairs and maneuvering smoothly around obstructions, ASIMO can now run at a maximum speed of 6km/hour, doubled from the previous 3km/hour. He can even run and spin on the spot as well as run in circular pattern.

Now, ASIMO is able to recognise people’s faces and interact with people with his head-mounted eye camera and the newly introduced IC (Integrated Circuit) card. ASIMO can interact effectively with the person who is holding the card including identify the person’s relevant information. Hence, this enables ASIMO to work as a receptionist that can interactively welcome and recognise people and their position.

In addition, ASIMO can also adjust a cart’s operation by slowing down or changing direction when facing an obstruction. The new ASIMO has a tension sensor system built in both wrists, enabling him to operate a cart by himself by adjusting his pushing strength in both arms and keeping a standard distance from the cart.

However, ASIMO was not created overnight. It took Honda’s engineers more than two decades to reach where ASIMO is today. The evolution of dreams started in 1986 by examining the principles of a two-legged robot that could walk. From 1987-1991, the Honda engineers examined the human walking to make the humanoid robot achieve fast walking pace. In 1991 to 1993, the next achievement was achieved by enabling stable walking when going up and down the stairs or slopes or stepping over an obstacle. Finally from 1993-1997, a human-like model with upper limbs and body was created. With further evolution in size and weight and advanced walking technology, ASIMO was born in 2000.

“Honda always strives to become a company that society wants to exist and with the power of dreams, we aim to create an ideal robot that one day can ease people’s lives. ASIMO is that dream and we envision ASIMO to operate as another set of eyes, ears, hands and legs for people in need in future as he has features that are compact and lightweight, enhanced walking technology and wider arm operating parameters. His people friendly design makes him operates more agilely in the real-world environment,” added Mr Fujimoto.

At the preview, winners of the “ASIMO Inspiring Dreams Contest” which ran from October 13, 2008 to November 2, 2008 were also specially invited to witness the improvements of ASIMO. One of the lucky winners was given an opportunity of a lifetime to go on stage to receive a ball kicked by ASIMO and to be served a drink by ASIMO.

ASIMO will be touring Malaysia covering Klang Valley, Johor and Penang bringing the message of hope and inspiration to Malaysians. ASIMO had earlier visited Petrosains on November 4, 2008 as a sneak preview for students to learn more about science, technology and innovations that seek to ease and improve lives.

Details of ASIMO’s road tours:

14-16 November, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, Road show

18 November, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Exclusive visit

20-23 November, City Square, Johor Bahru, Road show

25 November, Penang Adventist Hospital, Penang, Exclusive visit

27-30 November, Queensbay Mall, Penang, Road show

Honda hopes that by bringing ASIMO on these road tours in Malaysia for the first time ever, will help instill the challenging spirit amongst Malaysians and encourage them to reach for their dreams.

Visit www.honda.com.my/asimo or www.world.honda.com/ASIMO today to find out more about ASIMO.

ASIMO TO RUN IN MALAYSIA

The World’s First Humanoid Robot, ASIMO brings inspiration and hope to Malaysians

Petaling Jaya, 13 October 2008 – He walks. He runs. And perhaps most importantly, he inspires us all to dream. ASIMO, which is the acronym for Advanced Step In Innovative Mobility, is Honda’s first humanoid robot, and will be visiting around Malaysia in November to showcase its latest abilities – running, gripping objects and recognising people - and at the same time, bring hope and inspiration as it progresses closer to one day ease people’s life through mobility innovations.

What began as a dream is now a reality in the new generation of ASIMO with new technologies bringing it to a higher level of mobility that will enable ASIMO to function in human society. ASIMO has features that are compact and lightweight, more advanced walking technology, wider arm operating parameters, easy to operate and people friendly design to operate more agilely in the real-world environment. Born on October 31, 2000 and at 1.3 metres tall and 54kg, ASIMO’s size and height enables him to operate in the human living space.

“ASIMO is the result of the vision of the Honda engineers and Honda’s Challenging Spirit. After 22 years of research and development, today ASIMO can recognise objects, comprehends and respond to voice commands and even identify faces”, said Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto.

In conjunction with the impending arrival of ASIMO, Honda Malaysia is organizing an “ASIMO Inspiring Dreams Contest” from October 13, 2008 to November 2, 2008. The contest requires the contestants to tell how ASIMO inspires them and their dreams for ASIMO in the future. Log on to www.honda.com.my/asimo and answer two simple questions to win limited edition ASIMO merchandise. Winners will also be invited to a special ASIMO Preview, whereby one lucky winner amongst them will have the opportunity of a lifetime to be served by ASIMO!

Honda will continue its efforts in research and development to create a more advance humanoid robot with the aim to be a possible assistant for people in the future. ASIMO is a result of Honda’s dream of creating an ideal robot that eases people’s lives as Honda strives to become a company that society wants to exist.

Visit www.honda.com.my/asimo or www.world.honda.com/ASIMO today to find out more about ASIMO.