Honda Motor Co.'s Asimo humanoid robot will retire on Thursday, ending its 20-year career of wowing the public with walking and dancing demonstrations at a showroom at the automaker's Tokyo headquarters. Since its debut in 2000, Asimo has become a symbol of Japan's pioneering robot technology, mastering the abilities to run, hop on one leg, speak sign language using five fingers and pour coffee into a paper cup from a tumbler. But Honda stopped all development of Asimo in recent years after last upgrading it in 2011 to give it the ability to make autonomous decisions such as avoiding bumping into someone while walking. In September of last year, the Japanese automaker announced a plan to develop an avatar robot, allowing a user to operate it virtually from a remote location. The new robot will be equipped with a multifingered hand and an original AI-supported remote control function, the company said.

As part of his four-nation Asia tour, President Obama has visited students at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo where he was welcomed by a humanoid robot.

Honda's Asimo robot has grown up - with its latest upgrade giving it enhanced intelligence, added dexterity and the ability to run 5.6mph (9km/h). The first Asimo was created in 2000, and is seen as one of the leading attempts at creating a humanoid. The latest version is able to change its actions depending on what happens around it - such as moving out of a person's way. The 4ft (130cm)-tall robot is also able to do complex sign language. Asimo - which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility - is eventually intended to help people in various situations of need, such as the elderly, or those in disaster zones.