Hyundai unveils a mobile eccentric Droid as a small multi-use mobility solution. It resembles some of the radio-controlled bots that duke it out for Robo supremacy. Hyundai says that this is built to overcome the existing limitations of indoor guide and service robots.
There is no information on whether Hyundai got its inspiration from robots. But this four-wheeled device a Mobile Eccentric Droid isn’t just any four-wheeled Droid. The actual name is Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED). Its purpose is to be a small mobile platform that can operate in various situations on any terrain. To make that happen, it’s fitted with what Hyundai calls an Eccentric Wheel drive system. The four wheels have independent power and steering capabilities, and underneath is an adjustable suspension system that can raise and lower depending on the terrain. That also means MobED can maintain a level attitude while going up or down slopes, and if time is of the essence, it can clip along at a brisk 19 mph.
Head of Hyundai Motor Group robotics lab, Dong Jin Hyun said, “We have developed the MobED platform to overcome the limitations of existing indoor guide and service robots while maximizing its usability in cities by dramatically improving the platform’s overall mobility. We are also looking ahead to assess how potential users of MobED will further expand their needs and use for this type of technology.”
Parents as potential users
Hyundai does envision parents as one of MobED’s potential users. Seeing their baby cruising down the sidewalk at 18 mph on an autonomous box might not be ideal imagination for parents. However, the flat surface can accommodate a wide range of items or platforms, and while it’s technically capable of higher speeds and unmanned operation, a self-propelled stroller at walking speed under human control could indeed be a very welcome item for parents. Hyundai also sees MobED as offering assistance to elderly or disabled individuals, or as a mobile platform for robotic functions in tight quarters.
There is no information about the price or the availability of the vehicle. However, things are expected to be unveiled by January. MobED makes its official in-person debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. It could be possible that more apt applications are revealed, where a parent or a child (not a baby) might actually use the vehicle. Autonomous vehicles have largely been focused on large vehicles used by adults, but this could mean indoor vehicle advancement as well.
Credits- Motor1
