Waseda University WABIAN Series

Waseda University's humanoid program spans five decades from WABOT-1 (1973, world's first full-scale humanoid) through WABIAN series (Waseda Bipedal Humanoid). WABIAN-2 (2006) achieved human-like walking with heel-contact and toe-off, mimicking natural gait. Later variants explored whole-body coordination, manipulation, and expressive communication. The program contributed fundamental research in bipedal locomotion, zero-moment point theory, and human-robot interaction. While never commercialized, WABIAN platforms trained generations of roboticists and established Japan's leadership in humanoid research.