Free to Use Outdoors... Hyundai Motor Group Unveils Small Mobility Platform 'MOBED'

Four Independent Functional Wheels... Capable of On-the-Spot Rotation and Omnidirectional Movement
Expanding Size Enhances Usability, Including Improved Mobility for Transportation-Disadvantaged Groups

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 16th that it will unveil 'MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid)', a new concept compact mobility platform that integrates advanced robotics technology.

MobED features a flat cuboid-shaped body with four independently functional wheels, allowing it to maintain a horizontal position even on inclined roads or uneven surfaces. Its adjustable wheelbase and steering angle make it optimized for complex urban environments.

This is made possible by the eccentric wheel mechanism installed on MobED, where a fixed bar is attached off-center from the wheel's center. Each wheel is equipped with three motors that individually control the wheel's power, steering, and body posture.

This individual power and steering control system enables 360-degree on-the-spot rotation as well as omnidirectional movement, allowing effective navigation even in narrow spaces. The posture control system adjusts the height of each wheel according to ground conditions to minimize body shaking.

Additionally, MobED can widen the distance between the front and rear wheels up to 65 cm for stable driving during high-speed travel, and narrow it down to 45 cm in complex environments requiring low-speed driving, allowing easy passage through narrow paths.

MobED measures 60 cm in width, 67 cm in length, 33 cm in height, weighs 50 kg, has a battery capacity of 2 kWh, and a maximum speed of 30 km/h, enabling about 4 hours of driving on a single charge. It is equipped with 12-inch tires that effectively absorb ground shocks. Changing the size of MobED can accommodate larger battery capacity and longer driving range.

Notably, MobED was developed as a skateboard-like platform, allowing it to be used for various applications depending on the devices mounted. Typical uses include delivery and guidance services, filming equipment, and serving robots. Furthermore, if the MobED platform is expanded to a size that can accommodate a person, it can be used to improve mobility for transportation-vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled, and can also serve as a single-person mobility device like a stroller or leisure vehicle, according to the company.

Hyun Dong-jin, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab, said, "We developed MobED to dramatically improve mobility and maximize usability outdoors in urban areas, overcoming the limitations of existing guidance and serving robots that were only used indoors." He added, "We look forward to seeing how customers will expand the applications of MobED."

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group will participate in CES 2022, an information technology and consumer electronics exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA, in January next year, where it will present its future vision and new concept robots under the theme of robotics. The group also plans to exhibit the actual MobED, including its guidance application version, at the exhibition booth.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.