Takanobu Ito, the president of Honda, with the new Asimo robot at a press conference in Japan yesterday. Haruyoshi Yamaguchi / Bloomberg News
Takanobu Ito, the president of Honda, with the new Asimo robot at a press conference in Japan yesterday. Haruyoshi Yamaguchi / Bloomberg News

Asimo to test its mettle at Dubai show



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The next generation of Asimo, Honda's human-shaped robot, was unveiled yesterday in Tokyo, and the car manufacturer expects it to steal attention from the fast cars and super bikes at this year's motor expo.

"It's a further evolution of Asimo, so it's fantastic the robot is in Dubai," said William De Braekeleer, the head of public relations for Honda Europe.

"There are two main goals for Asimo. One is to have a robot that is able to operate in a human environment, and the other is to develop technology that can be applied to our other products," he said.

This version of Asimo, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, boasts nimbler fingers. It can also run faster and balance on uneven surfaces.

The robot can also predict the direction a person will walk within the next few seconds based on pre-set space sensors, then quickly take an alternative path to avoid a collision.

Takanobu Ito, the Honda president, said yesterday that some of Asimo's technology was used to develop a robotic arm that could be used to help clean up the Fukushima nuclear plant damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in March. But Asimo itself would not be used at the Fukushima plant because it would be damaged by radiation.

Honda aims ultimately to build a robot that can be used for everyday purposes in the home and perform other tasks that are dangerous to humans, such as fighting fires or cleaning up toxic spills.

In a demonstration yesterday, Asimo was able to walk over bumps on the floor and run at 9kph, faster than the previous 6kph. Honda does not disclose how much it invests in developing Asimo, but the company spends 5 per cent of its turnover each year on research across all products.

"It's an ongoing research project and the steps Asimo has taken in greater autonomy and physical capabilities is exactly what we are producing on our show in Dubai," Mr De Braekeleer said.

Having first travelled to the Emirates in 2005, Asimo will be on show for the five-day Dubai motor show running from tomorrow until November 14 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

It will be kicking footballs, dancing and independently collecting drinks from waiters at the show.

Asimo's appearance is perfectly timed to give a boost to the reputation of Al-Futtaim Honda, the exclusive distributor of the brand in the UAE.

Honda sales have stuttered this year after weak supply in the wake of the Japanese disaster and two product recalls, first for the Civic, then for the Accord. The brand has only about 65 per cent of its usual supply in the UAE.

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PSG's line up

GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)

Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)

Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)

Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)

Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
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Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

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  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
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  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
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  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
RACE CARD

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m

8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

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MATCH INFO

Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)

Manchester United 0

Company profile

Name: Tharb

Started: December 2016

Founder: Eisa Alsubousi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: Luxury leather goods

Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings

 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

The figures behind the event

1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew

2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show

3) 1,000 social distancing stickers

4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue

Company%20Profile
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England v South Africa schedule:

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  • Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

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Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

What is double taxation?
  • Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
  • Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
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  • Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.