Honda Asimo — Specs & Review
Specifications
| Brand | Honda |
|---|---|
| Model | Asimo |
| Year | 2011 |
| Category | Humanoid |
| Autonomy | semi-autonomous |
| Environment | indoor |
| Weight | 54 kg |
| Dimensions | 45cm L × 45cm W × 130cm H |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Country of origin | JP |
Key features
- 130 cm height, human-scale design
- Running speed 9 km/h
- 57 degrees of freedom
- Stereoscopic vision + face recognition
- Stair climbing and dynamic balance
- 32-year development programme
- Discontinued 2022
What is it?
Honda Asimo is a bipedal humanoid robot developed by Honda from 1986 to 2022, representing the most sustained and publicly visible humanoid robotics research programme of its era.
Who is it for?
Asimo was a research and demonstration platform — not a commercial product. It was leased to select partners in Japan for public engagement and demonstrated Honda's long-term commitment to robotics research.
Key specs
- Height: 130 cm
- Weight: 54 kg
- Running speed: 9 km/h
- Battery: 40-minute runtime
- Degrees of freedom: 57
- Camera: stereoscopic vision + facial recognition
How it compares
Asimo established the benchmark that all subsequent humanoid robots have been measured against. Its successors in the commercial humanoid space — Boston Dynamics Atlas, Tesla Optimus, Figure 02 — all build on the foundational engineering insights Asimo demonstrated across its 32-year development arc.
Limitations
- Discontinued in 2022 — no longer in development or deployment
- 40-minute battery runtime limited practical operation
- Never achieved the dexterity required for real-world unstructured tasks
- Remained a demonstration platform rather than a deployable commercial system
FAQ
Is the Honda Asimo still active?
No. Honda discontinued the Asimo programme in 2022 after 32 years of development. Honda redirected its robotics research toward practical applications rather than a research platform.
What could the Honda Asimo do?
Asimo could walk, run at up to 9 km/h, climb stairs, recognise faces and voices, pour drinks, and perform complex coordinated tasks such as conducting an orchestra and kicking a football.
How tall is the Honda Asimo?
Asimo stood 130 cm tall and weighed 54 kg — designed to operate in human environments and interact with people at a non-intimidating scale.
What made Asimo significant in robotics history?
Asimo was the first bipedal robot to run continuously, demonstrate dynamic walking on uneven terrain, and operate reliably in public-facing demonstrations over an extended period — making it the benchmark for humanoid robot capability for over a decade.
How much did the Honda Asimo cost?
Asimo was never commercially sold. Honda leased it to select partners in Japan at approximately ¥20 million per year (~$160,000) during its commercial lease period.