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ArchiveCase2000–2022

ASIMO: the humanoid Honda rented out but never sold, retired after 22 years

ASIMO was a two-legged walking robot that Honda unveiled in 2000. It was never sold, only rented out and demonstrated, and gave its last demonstrations in March 2022.

A white ASIMO on stage at Expo 2005 in Japan
Photo: Gnsin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
MakerHonda (Japan)
UnveiledNovember 2000 (Honda release). The result of walking-robot research that began with E0 in 1986
RentalRental to businesses began in 2001. The first yearly renter, Miraikan, paid ¥20 million a year
Form2000 model 120 cm tall, 43 kg, walking at up to 1.6 km/h. 2011 model 130 cm, 48 kg, running at 9 km/h
SettingHonda showrooms, science museums, event demonstrations
ReachNever sold. Number built not confirmed from Honda sources (a secondary source says 20 units of the first model were produced in 2002)
NowMiraikan demonstrations ended on 31 March 2022. A farewell show was held the same day at Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama
Ended byThe maker. An end to development was reported in 2018 (Honda did not confirm it at the time)
Demonstrations ended; never sold

Timeline

  1. 2000.11ASIMO unveiled120 cm tall
  2. 2001Corporate rentals beginMiraikan, ¥20M a year
  3. 20112011 model130 cm, runs 9 km/h
  4. 2018Development end reportedHonda did not confirm
  5. 2022.03Demos endNever sold

Fourteen years of walking research, starting with E0 in 1986

ASIMO was a humanoid robot unveiled by Honda in November 2000. The name stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility. Honda began research on two-legged walking with E0 in 1986 and reached ASIMO by way of the E and P series. The first ASIMO stood 120 cm tall, weighed 43 kg and walked at up to 1.6 km/h. The last new version, in 2011, was 130 cm tall, weighed 48 kg and could run at 9 km/h.

Rented out for ¥20 million a year

Honda never sold ASIMO as a product. It began renting it to businesses in 2001, and the first yearly renter, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), paid ¥20 million a year. From January 2002 ASIMO worked at Miraikan explaining science to visitors. In June 2018 Nikkei reported that Honda had ended ASIMO development. Honda did not confirm it. A spokesperson told TechCrunch: "Honda continues humanoid robot development. The robot development team at R&D is still in place."

15,466 demonstrations, two million visitors

Miraikan says ASIMO gave 15,466 demonstrations through the end of 2021, seen by an estimated two million visitors or more. The museum announced: "Demonstrations by the humanoid robot ASIMO have ended as of March 31st, 2022." A farewell show was held the same day at Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama. Honda considered keeping the retired ASIMO as an exhibit or mascot and using it in research. The stage was not always smooth: during one live demonstration it fell on the stairs.

Measured by demonstrations, not units sold

ASIMO never went into homes or workplaces; it was used to show technology to audiences. Most robots in this archive are remembered by units sold and years of use. ASIMO’s record is the number of demonstrations and visitors. IEEE Spectrum noted that Honda later shifted toward robots such as E2-DR and toward practical uses.

How should we measure the success of a robot that is never sold?

What we haven’t confirmed

  • The total number of ASIMOs built
  • Whether Honda formally announced the end of development (Nikkei reported it; IEEE Spectrum describes it as a 2018 announcement)
  • The full list of renters and when rentals ended
  • Where the remaining units are kept or displayed after retirement

Sources

  1. Honda, “Honda Debuts New Humanoid Robot "ASIMO",” 20 November 2000 (company material)
  2. Honda, “Honda Introduces New ASIMO Humanoid Robot for Rental Business,” 12 November 2001 (company material)
  3. Computerworld Australia, report on Miraikan renting ASIMO by the year
  4. Honda, “Honda Unveils All-new ASIMO with Significant Advancements,” 8 November 2011 (company material)
  5. Honda, History of robotics development (company material)
  6. TechCrunch, “Honda reportedly retires the iconic Asimo,” 28 June 2018
  7. GearBrain, “Honda Asimo robot retires after 18 years of walking, talking - and sometimes falling,” 29 June 2018
  8. Miraikan, “About the End of Demonstrations by Humanoid Robot ASIMO [End of March 2022],” 31 January 2022
  9. Asia News Network (The Japan News), “Goodbye Asimo: Honda to retire popular robot in March,” 8 February 2022
  10. Time Out Tokyo, “Beloved Japanese robot Asimo retires after performing for 22 years,” 12 April 2022
  11. IEEE Spectrum, “Even as It Retires, ASIMO Still Manages to Impress,” 21 April 2022
  12. Wikipedia, ASIMO (secondary source)