View source for Honda P series

{{Short description|Humanoid robots developed by Honda}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
[[Image:Asimo&p3.jpg|thumb|P3 model (left) compared to ASIMO]]The '''P series''' is a series of prototype [[humanoid robots]] developed by [[Honda]] between 1993 and 2000. They were preceded by the [[Honda E series]] (whose development was not revealed to the public at the time) and followed by the [[ASIMO]] 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]]" 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asimo.honda.com/news/hondas-advanced-humanoid-robot-asimo-makes-us-debut/newsarticle_0008/|title=ASIMO by Honda &#124; The World's Most Advanced Humanoid Robot|website=asimo.honda.com|accessdate=9 June 2023}}</ref>

== 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]].

*P1 developed in 1993<ref name="P1P2P3">{{cite web | url = http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/history/p1_p2_p3.html | title = History of Humanoids: P1-P2-P3 (1993 - 1997) | publisher = Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823205724/http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/history/p1_p2_p3.html | archive-date=2013-08-23}}</ref>
*P2 unveiled in 1996<ref name="P1P2P3"/>
*P3 unveiled in 1997<ref name="P1P2P3"/>
*P4 developed in 2000

{|style="text-align:center;" class="wikitable"
|
! P1 <br /> (1993){{ref|1|1}}
! P2 <br /> (1996)
! P3 <br /> (1997)
! P4 <br /> (2000){{ref|2|2}}
! rowspan=11 | <big>-></big>
! [[ASIMO]] <br /> (2000)
! [[ASIMO]] <br /> (2005)
|-
! Weight
| 175&nbsp;kg
| 210&nbsp;kg
| 130&nbsp;kg
| 80&nbsp;kg
| 52&nbsp;kg
| 54&nbsp;kg
|-
! Height
| 191.5&nbsp;cm
| 182.0&nbsp;cm
| 160.0&nbsp;cm
| 160.0&nbsp;cm
| 120.0&nbsp;cm
| 130.0&nbsp;cm
|-
! Width
| 
| 60.0&nbsp;cm
| 60.0&nbsp;cm
| 
| 45.0&nbsp;cm
| 45.0&nbsp;cm
|-
! Depth
| 
| 75.8&nbsp;cm
| 55.5&nbsp;cm
|
| 44.0&nbsp;cm
| 37.0&nbsp;cm
|-
! Walking speed
| 
| 2&nbsp;km/h
| 2&nbsp;km/h
| 2&nbsp;km/h
| 1.6&nbsp;km/h
| 2.7&nbsp;km/h (walking)<br />6&nbsp;km/h (running)
|-
! Max working load
| 
| 5&nbsp;kg/hand
| 2&nbsp;kg/hand
|
|
| 1&nbsp;kg (carrying)<br />10&nbsp;kg (on cart)
|-
! Battery
| colspan=3 |135 V - 6 A·h - [[Nickel-zinc battery|Ni-Zn]]
|
| 38.4 V - [[Nickel-metal hydride battery|NiMH]]
| 51.8 V - [[Lithium-ion battery|Li-ion]]
|-
! Continuous operating time
|
| 15 minutes
| 25 minutes
|
| 30 minutes
| 1 hour (walking)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asimo.honda.com/downloads/pdf/asimo-technical-faq.pdf|title=Asimo. Frequently Asked Questions
|website=Honda|access-date=9 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
! [[Degrees of freedom (engineering)|Degrees of freedom]]
| 30
| 30
| 28
| 34
| 26
| 34
|-
! Image
| [[File:Honda P1 front Honda Collection Hall.jpg|75px]]
| [[File:Honda P2 front Honda Collection Hall.jpg|75px]]
| [[File:Honda P3 front Honda Collection Hall.jpg|75px]]
| [[File:Honda P4 front Honda Collection Hall.jpg|75px]]
|colspan="2"| [[Image:Honda ASIMO.jpg|75px]]
|}

'''Notes:'''
:1.{{Note|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.{{Note|2}} – The P4 was developed in 2000 and originally unveiled as "P3-improved prototype" ({{nihongo2|P3改良型試作機}}).<ref>{{cite news|title=P3 Humanoid Robot |url=http://www.honda.co.jp/robot/about/new/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124002200/http://www.honda.co.jp/robot/about/new/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2001-01-24 |work=Honda Robot Site |publisher=Honda |access-date=2010-05-24 |language=ja }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=幻の ASIMO 開発機「P4」を展示！ |url=http://response.jp/article/2010/03/23/138013.html |work=Response.jp |publisher=IRI Commerce and Technology, Inc. |date=2010-03-23|access-date=2010-05-24|language=ja}}</ref> The model was announced as the "P4" in 2009.

== See also ==
* [[Honda E series]], experimental models
* [[Humanoid Robotics Project]]; the HRP-1 is a variant of the Honda P3.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category multi|Honda P1|Honda P2|Honda P3|Honda P4}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170430203542/http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/P3/spec/ P2/P3 Major Specifications (archive)]

{{Humanoid robots}}
{{honda}}

[[Category:Robotics at Honda]]
[[Category:Bipedal humanoid robots]]
[[Category:1993 robots]]
[[Category:1996 robots]]
[[Category:1997 robots]]
[[Category:2000 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Japanese inventions]]