Yamaha unveils motorcycle-riding humanoid robot.

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• published: 06 Nov 2015
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Japan's Yamaha Motor showcases a motorcycle-riding humanoid robot, with developers saying the technology could one day present an alternative to self-driving cars. SHOWS: UNKNOWN, JAPAN (RECENT - SEPTEMBER, 2015) (HANDOUT - MUST COURTESY 'YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD') 1. VARIOUS OF 'MOTOBOT VER. 1' BEING TEST DRIVEN TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 29, 2015) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. SIGN READING (English): 'The 44th TOKYO MOTOR SHOW 2015' 3. TOKYO MOTOR SHOW 2015 EVENT HALL 4. YAMAHA MOTOR BOOTH 5. YAMAHA MOTOR LOGO 6. VARIOUS OF ROBOT MOTORCYCLE 'MOTOBOT VER. 1' ON DISPLAY 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) YAMAHA MOTOR VENTURES & LABORATORY SILICON VALLEY INC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HIROSHI SAIJOU, SAYING: "One of the reasons why we developed this is because, within Yamaha, we have an industrial robot business and a motorcycle business, and we didn't have a business or service that incorporated the two businesses." 8. CLOSE OF 'MOTOBOT VER.1' HELMET ON ROBOT 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) YAMAHA MOTOR VENTURES & LABORATORY SILICON VALLEY INC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HIROSHI SAIJOU, SAYING: "If a society where driverless cars are prevalent is happy and safe, then I want to make it happen quickly. In order to make that happen quickly, tuning cars isn't enough, because you need to repurchase everything. Our concept is that, if you put this robot in your car, your car will drive itself from tomorrow. That's the kind of world I want to create." 10. VARIOUS OF 'MOTOBOT Ver. 1' ON DISPLAY STORY: Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd showcased an autonomous 'robot motorcycle' at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015 on Thursday (October 29), where visitors stopped in their tracks to get a photo of the blue, sleek robot sitting on an equally sleek sports bike. The humanoid robot called 'MOTOBOT Ver. 1' can analyse its location and route through a global positioning system (GPS) via satellite. It can travel as fast as 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles), and has two small protracted assist wheels either side to help keep its balance when riding at slower speeds of around 5 kilometers per hour. Yamaha says Motobot combines Yamaha's motorcycle and robotics technology. "One of the reasons why we developed this is because within Yamaha, we have an industrial robot business and a motorcycle business, and we didn't have a business or service that incorporated the two businesses," Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley Inc's Chief Executive Officer Hiroshi Saijou said. The project has the goal of developing a robotic rider which can ride an unmodified motorcycle on a racetrack at more than 200 km/h (124 mph). Yamaha says that for Motobot to control "the complex motions of a motorcycle at high speeds requires a variety of control systems that must function with a high degree of accuracy". They added that the technology used in Motobot will be used to develop better rider safety and support systems. It could also present a new way for all cars to become 'driverless' by using a robotic driver that doesn't require the car to be redesigned. "If a society where driverless cars are prevalent is happy and safe, then I want to make it happen quickly. In order to make that happen quickly, tuning cars isn't enough, because you need to repurchase everything. Our concept is that, if you put this robot in your car, your car will drive itself from tomorrow. That's the kind of world I want to create," Saijou said when asked if Yamaha is breaking into a new field, similar to that of driverless cars, but driverless motorbikes. Yamaha is aiming to present 'MOTOBOT Ver. 2' in two years time at the Tokyo Motor Show 2017, added Saijou.