Fresh from acquiring Boston Dynamics, Hyundai has unveiled a new mobility platform called MobED that “overcomes the limitations of existing indoor guide and service robots.”
The Mobile Eccentric Droid (ModED) consists of a flat, rectangular bodied riding on four large wheels with independent suspension and 12-inch pneumatic tires. The wheels can all rotate independent of each other and the body can tilt across its four corners. The end result, as the video below demonstrates, is an agile little robot that’s capable of transporting difficult loads over a range of terrain types and obstacles.
According to Dong Jin Hyun, Head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab, “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.” So as well as serving indoors, it looks as though MobED could end up being an autonomous delivery robot at some point in the future.
Hyundai refers to the combination of the steering, braking, and altitude controls as the “Eccentric Wheel” drive system. It results in the ability to perform in-place rotation, omnidirectional movement, and posture control for advanced stabilization. ModED can travel at up to 30km/h and has a battery life of four hours using a 2kWh battery.
Although availability and pricing for MobED has yet to be revealed, Hyundai will have the robot on display at CES 2022 next month.
