ASIMO

Ever since I was a child and started to watch robots such as Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Daimos and other robots in movies. I was fascinated and at the same time curious about how does it really works. I used to wreck all my toys just to find the answer to my question, but to my dismay the answer was still aint there. Years passed and I took Electronics Engineering Technology(ESET) at Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) because of the fact that i was still amazed how robots work. I graduated after 10 years studying in college but never did I found the answer. This is the closest thing to the answer, and still I'm not contented.
ASIMO Humanoid Robot ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative MObility) is a bipadel humanoid robot from Honda . This robot has been evolving since its inception in 1986. Current version of ASIMO is 1.2 meter tall and weighs 43 Kg. This size enables ASIMO to actually perform tasks within the realm of a human living environment. It also walks in a smooth fashion which closely resembles that of a human being. Advanced Walking Technology Predicted Movement Control (for predicting the next move and shifting the center of gravity accordingly) is combined with existing walking control know-how to create i-WALK (intelligent real-time flexible walking) technology, permitting smooth changes of direction.
Walking by putting one leg before the other was successfully achieved. However, taking nearly five seconds between steps,it walked very slowly in a straight line.To increase walking speed, or to allow walking on uneven surfaces or slopes, fast walking must be realized.

The New ASIMO has made great leaps forward from its predecessor. In fact, the New ASIMO can walk along with you (holding your hand if you wish), and features advanced mobility, to the extent that ASIMO can now move carts and other objects around at will. And, with a newly developed total control system that controls all of ASIMO's functions, ASIMO can autonomously act as a receptionist, or even deliver drinks on a tray. The New ASIMO is also more agile than before, being able to run at 6km/h, and even turn whilst running.

Major Features
Receptionist tasks
ASIMO is now capable of performing tasks as a receptionist or information guide automatically in concert with the movement of people. ASIMO now has the ability to recognize the surrounding environment through visual sensors, floor surface sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and by an IC Tele-interaction Communication Card, developed independently by Honda, held by the person with whom ASIMO will interact. Head-mounted eye camera and force (kinesthetic) sensor-equipped wrists allow ASIMO to give and receive an object such as a tray in a timely manner, or even to hold the hand of a person and move in sync.
Carrying objects
ASIMO is now capable of handling a cart freely while maintaining an appropriate distance from the cart by adjusting the force of its right and left arms to push a cart using the force (kinesthetic) sensor on its wrists. Even when the movement of the cart is disturbed, ASIMO can continue maneuvering by taking flexible actions such as slowing down or changing directions.
Improved mobility
Normal walking speed:2.7km/hour (previous model: 2.5km/hour)Walking speed while carrying objects:1.6km/hour(based on carrying object: weighing 1kg)Running speed:6km/hourSpeed of running in a circular pattern:5km/hour (2.5m radius)

http://world.honda.com/ASIMO

Voltes V

Voltes V is a Japanese anime television series that was first aired on TV Asahi starting April 6, 1977. It was created by Tadao Nagahama as the second part of his Robot Romance Trilogy , of the Super Robot genre. Conceived as a second part/remake of its predecessor Combattler V , was released in Italy, Spain, and The Philippines, dubbed in their respective languages according to Wikipedia.

It was 1978, the year when the Japanese anime Voltes V hit Philippine television and caught all Filipino children by surprise. For many, it was their first glimpse of Japanese culture, and for those with black-and-white TV sets, the colors were not so vivid then. Imagine most Filipino's running home from school or from work, wary that it is almost 6 p.m., dropping their things carelessly on the floor and turning on their old black-and-white TV.
I weren't one of those so-called Martial Law babies, who got caught in the web of Voltes V mania. I was just born then so I never really did saw the first time it aired, but based on their stories, it really was a phenomenom then.

Each morning, the previous night's episodes would fill classroom talk and everyone would trade stickers or collectibles of their favorite Japanese heroes. Forget about Superman and the Superfriends, or Wonder Woman and Batman! Somehow, in that brief glimpse of time 30 years ago, Japan had caught the imagination of Filipino children, and their lives would never be the same.

The parade of Japanese robots began with Voltes V, and then came Mazinger Z, then Daimos, and soon enough, prime time was swamped by all of these Japanese cartoons, and kids like me then began to mimic them. It was fun acting out Steve Armstrong (or Kenichi Gou), the venerable pilot of Volt Panzer.

Just when Filipino people got comfy on watching Voltes V, former President Marcos banned the showing of all Japanese anime. Many have argued that the former dictator was annoyed with the parallel identification between the villain characters with his regimes. But some others explained that it was because Marcos' family owned television company could not compete with the popularity of the television company that broadcasted Voltes V, so Marcos had to intervene by banning the broadcast of Voltes V. Still, the first arguments were already widely speculated, thus at some point Voltes V was gaining a more political popularity. Imagine the day after Marcos pulled the plug. An eerie silence soon replaced the animated chatter in the cafeteria. It was as if someone in the family had died. Voltes V and the rest of the Japanese heroes are gone. But life continues, so they speak, but not without the episodes playing and replaying in the Filipino minds.

So when it was re-aired again it's as if one has risen from the dead. A mania of Voltes V was relived. And it seems that its bigger than ever...

"Let's fight together! LET's VOLT IN!"

Robots

"The first decade of the 21st century will be dominated by robots" - Toshitada Doi, Corporate Executive Vice President, Sony to Reuters reporters



A robot is a mechanical or virtual, artificial agent. It is usually an electromechanical system, which, by its appearance or movements, conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own. The word robot can refer to both physical robots and virtual software agents, but the latter are usually referred to as bots to differentiate.While there is still discussion about which machines qualify as robots, a typical robot will have several, though not necessarily all of the following properties:
Is not 'natural' i.e. has been artificially created. Can sense its environment. Can manipulate or interact with things in its environment. Has some degree of intelligence, or ability to make choices based on the environment, or automatic control / preprogrammed sequence. Is programmable. Can move with one or more axes of rotation or translation. Can make dexterous coordinated movements.
Although the appearance and capabilities of robots vary vastly, all robots share the features of a mechanical, movable structure under some form of autonomous control. The structure of a robot is usually mostly mechanical and can be called a kinematic chain (its functionality being akin to the skeleton of the human body). The chain is formed of links (its bones), actuators (its muscles) and joints which can allow one or more degrees of freedom. Most contemporary robots use open serial chains in which each link connects the one before to the one after it. These robots are called serial robots and often resemble the human arm. Some robots, such as the Stewart platform, use closed parallel kinematic chains. Other structures, such as those that mimic the mechanical structure of humans, various animals and insects, are comparatively rare. However, the development and use of such structures in robots is an active area of research (e.g. biomechanics). Robots used as manipulators have an end effector mounted on the last link. This end effector can be anything from a welding device to a mechanical hand used to manipulate the environment.

A re-programmable multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.

"I can't define a robot, but I know one when I see one. "
Joseph Engelberger, a pioneer in industrial robotics