DEE-ANN DURBIN
DETROIT

The lights dimmed, a hush fell in the sold-out hall and out walked the conductor - shiny, white and 4ft 3in tall.

Asimo (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility), a robot designed by the Honda Motor Company, conducted the Detroit Symphony in a performance of The Impossible Dream from the musical Man of La Mancha.

"Hello, everyone," Asimo said to the audience, then waved to the orchestra.

As it conducted, it perfectly mimicked the actions of a conductor, nodding its head at various sections and gesturing with one or both hands. Asimo took a bow to enthusiastic shouts from the audience.

"It is absolutely thrilling to perform with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. This is a magnificent concert hall," Asimo said.

Later, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the soloist later in the programme, joined Asimo on stage to receive an award for his efforts in music education. Ma bent to shake the robot's hand.

Honda spokeswoman Alicia Jones said it was Asimo's first time conducting an orchestra, and possibly a first live performance for any robot. Engineers had programmed Asimo to mimic the actions of Charles Burke, the Detroit Symphony's education director, but the robot cannot respond to the musicians.

"It simply is programmed to do a sense of gestures," said Leonard Slatkin, the orchestra's musical director. "If the orchestra decides to go faster, there's nothing the robot can do about it. Hopefully, I keep that under control."

Honda intends its robots to be companions for the elderly and others in need, such as children navigating crossings.-AP