Hyundai has developed a new four-wheeled robot called Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) designed to carry any objects, like parcels, drinks, health monitors, and even babies. It has a low and flat body that is ideal for tasks that require stability and high maneuverability.
In its promotional video posted on YouTube, the robot can be seen carrying a baby and loaded with a pyramid of glasses while crossing a hill. The 110-pound robot that measures 26 inches long is a helpful device for mobility for elderly and disabled individuals. As of now, the company has not yet released the pricing of its four-wheeled robot.
The logo of Hyundai Motor is seen on the glass door at its branch in Seoul on January 23, 2014. Hyundai Motor reported a 12.5 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit, despite the impact of a weak yen that blunted its price competitiveness overseas against Japanese rivals.
Hyundai's MobED Offers Stability on Uneven Roads
The South Korean car company's MobED robot will debut in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 in Las Vegas this January as part of the robotic technologies that are currently under development, according to Robb Report.
It looks like a flat, rectangular board attached to four wheels in which each of them is equipped with a trio of motors that can be controlled independently. Hyundai engineers explained that the body was designed for optimal stability, even on inclined and uneven surfaces.
The motors in its wheels have a complex suspension system that allows it to angle its platform with uncommon precision and overcome the limitation of indoor guide and service robots while maximizing its usefulness in cities. Dong Jin Hyun, Head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab, said that they are looking forward to evaluating how users of MobED will use this type of technology to their everyday needs.
Mail Online reported that MobED comes with several novel technologies like the "Eccentric Wheel" drive and high-tech string, breaking and altitude control systems to adapt and acquire optimum posture on different environments and road surfaces without human input or new wheels.
When moving at high speeds, the wheelbase expands to 25 inches long and shrinks to 17 inches on more complex terrain, providing the robot more flexibility. In that way, MobED can be used at speed on flat surfaces and slower over unexpected terrain regardless of what object it is carrying.
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Hyundai Hopes MobED Will Lead Robot Revolution in the Future
As robots become mainstream and start to look more "normal" than the ones featured in science fiction movies, the robotics industry is aiming to create technologies that will become an integral part of human lives. Hyundai, among others, is looking forward to being at the forefront of the robotic revolution in the near future.
MobED is not the first robot Hyundai made because the company's robotic department has presented several Transformer-like Ultimate Mobility Vehicles in the past few years to traverse rugged terrains and cross deep bodies of water.
Although MobED was designed as a mobility device for the elderly and disabled individuals, the company aims to increase its capability by making it bigger, so it can be used as a stroller or leisure vehicle. Aside from Hyundai, auto giants Toyota and Honda are also investing in these types of devices.
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