The Honda P1 ("Prototype 1") was the first humanoid robot in Honda's P-series, built in 1993. It was the first Honda robot to combine legs with a torso, arms, and a head — the company's earlier E-series (E0–E6, from 1986) had developed bipedal walking with legs alone. The P1 marked the moment Honda's long-running humanoid program took recognizably human form. Honda kept the P1's existence secret until it publicly announced the P2 in 1996.
Availability
The P1 was a research prototype and was never sold or offered commercially. It was an internal Honda R&D milestone, not a product. No price, no listings — it existed purely to advance Honda's humanoid engineering.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Height | ~1.92 m (191.5 cm) |
| Weight | ~175 kg |
| Power | External power source; external computer |
| Capabilities | Turn electrical/computer switches on and off, grab doorknobs, pick up and carry objects (could carry a ~70 kg object) |
| Design basis | Limb proportions derived from typical doorway and stair dimensions, so the robot could function in human environments |
Significance
The P1 was large, heavy, and tethered to external power and computing — but it proved Honda could build a coordinated, human-form robot with functional arms and legs. Its research focused on the coordinated movement of arms and legs together. It set the direction for the smaller, more independent P2 and P3, and ultimately for ASIMO.
P1 vs Successors
- P1 vs Honda P2: The P2 was the breakthrough — it cut the tether, achieving the first autonomous, self-regulating bipedal walking with onboard battery and wireless control.
- P1 vs Honda P3: The P3 dramatically miniaturized the design (160 cm, 130 kg) toward something fit for human living spaces.
- P1 vs modern humanoids: As a tethered 1993 prototype, the P1 is a historical foundation — not comparable as a product to today's commercial humanoids, but a direct ancestor of the whole field.
Source: Honda
