HONDA
Honda ASIMO
Super Idea Contest
Encouraging creativity in Thai children
On 31 October, 2000 Honda introduced ASIMO, the world's first true humanoid robot, to an amazed public. Since then ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, has undergone continuous development of its movement, recognition and communications capabilities and inspired audiences around the world with its vision of advanced technologies in the service of mankind.
ASIMO seems to resonate particularly with children who respond to ASIMO's size, fluid movements and speech with sheer delight. It was this close identification with ASIMO that caused Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Honda's Bangkok-based Asia-Oceania regional headquarters, to adopt ASIMO as the motivational theme for an annual project to encourage Thai children's imagination and creativity the Honda ASIMO Super Idea Contest which was launched in 2005.
The project aims to encourage Thai elementary schoolchildren to invent moving objects which must be beneficial to mankind and support new ways of living. It's all about cultivating a Challenging Spirit and demonstrating The Power of Dreams, two view points embedded in Honda's corporate culture. As a result Thai children have come up with the most amazing inventions, including a tsunami detector, a fusion car, a solar cell mosquito repeller and a spider robot fire extinguisher.
The Contest has generated a huge response from Thai elementary schoolchildren. Entries soared from 12,400 in the first year to 21,600 in the second to 33,880 in 2007.
The Contest is divided into two groups, Grades 1-3 and 4-6, and two rounds. In Round 1: My Dreams, the children submit their initial applications where they draw on paper and describe how to build their particular inventions. In Round 2: my Dreams Come True, 60 children from each of the two grade groups are given Baht 1,000 each to build their inventions. A distinguished panel of judges selects the 120 entries to be built and the final winners and runners-up.
The top inventor from each grade group receives the prestigious H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn plaque, scholarship funds and a trip to Japan to visit ASIMO's birthplace, and a numer of other attractions, including interaction with Japane3se schoolchildren and media at the Honda ASIMO Idea Contest in Tokyo. Two runners-up from each grade group also receive scholarship funds and join the trip to Japan.
The Honda ASIMO Super Idea Contest has fired the imaginations of Thailand's elementary schoolchildren, truely demonstrating The Power of Dreams. As such, it has emerged as another important element of Honda's commitment to becoming a company that society wishes to exist.
website : http://www.honda-ideacontest.com
