The P series is a series of prototype

humanoid robots A humanoid robot is a robot resembling the human body in shape. The design may be for functional purposes, such as interacting with human tools and environments and working alongside humans, for experimental purposes, such as the study of bipedal ...

developed by

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

between 1993 and 2000. They were preceded by the

Honda E series The E series was a collection of successive humanoid robots created by the Honda Motor Company between the years of 1986 and 1993. These robots were only experimental, but later evolved into the Honda P series, with Honda eventually amassing the ...

(whose development was not revealed to the public at the time) and followed by the

ASIMO ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) is a humanoid robot created by Honda in 2000. In 2002, there were 20 units of the first ASIMO model produced; three different ASIMO models subsequently followed. As of February 2009, there were over ...

series, then the world's most advanced humanoid robots. Honda Motor's President and CEO Hiroyuki Yoshino, at the time, described Honda's humanoid robotics program as consistent with its direction to enhance human mobility.

History

Work to develop an advanced humanoid robot began in 1986, when Honda established a research center focused on fundamental technologies, including humanoid robotics. Honda engineers had to research how humans walk, using the human skeleton for reference to create a replica and have it function like a human being. In 1986, the first two-legged robot was made to walk, used by Honda engineers to establish stable walking technology, including steps and sloped surfaces. In 1993, Honda began developing "

Prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototype ...

" models ("P" series), attaching the legs to a torso with arms that could perform basic tasks. P2, the second prototype model, debuted in December 1996, using wireless techniques making it the first self-regulating, two-legged walking robot. P2 weighed 463 pounds with a height of six feet tall. In September 1997, P3 was introduced as the first completely independent bi-pedal humanoid walking robot, standing five feet, four inches tall and weighing 287 pounds.

Features

Honda engineers determined a robot should be easy to operate and small in size, enabling it to help people—for instance, to look eye to eye with someone sitting in a chair. ASIMO can be controlled by a portable controller whereas P3 was controlled from a

workstation A workstation is a special computer designed for technical or computational science, scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by a single user, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating syste ...

. *P1 developed in 1993 *P2 unveiled in 1996 *P3 unveiled in 1997 *P4 developed in 2000 Notes: :1. – The P1 was developed in 1993 but was not unveiled and Honda kept its existence a secret until the announcement of the P2 in 1996. :2. – The P4 was developed in 2000 and originally unveiled as "P3-improved prototype" (). The model was announced as the "P4" in 2009.

References

External links

P2/P3 Major Specifications (archive)
{{honda Robotics at Honda Bipedal humanoid robots 1993 robots 1996 robots 1997 robots 2000 disestablishments Japanese inventions

History

Features

See also

References

External links