[CES2022] 'Car-Free Hyundai CES Exhibition Hall'... Filled with Future Mobility

Robot Dog 'Spot' Dancing to BTS Songs
'Personal Mobility' with Fully Free Operation via Joystick Praised
Mobed with Adjustable Incline and Leg-like Wheel Movement Draws Attention
Hyundai Motor Unveils Metaverse World Blueprint in Metaverse Zone

On the 5th (local time), a large crowd gathered at Hyundai's booth at CES 2022, which opened at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, to view 'future mobility' and 'robotics' products.
Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The robot dog 'Spot' dancing to BTS's song 'Ionic: I'm On It' and a personal mobility device performing on-the-spot turns and crab walking controlled solely by a joystick instantly captured the attention of visitors at the Hyundai Motor booth at CES 2022.

In particular, the small mobility platform 'MOBED,' with a rectangular body and four independently moving wheels, climbed up and down uneven bumps, steep slopes, and even stairs while maintaining a horizontal posture. Especially when turning on the stairs, it moved only one wheel, showing a leg-like movement with the wheel acting as a leg.

On the 5th (local time), at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2022' was relatively quiet due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. However, the Hyundai Motor booth, surrounded by glass walls on all four sides, attracted industry insiders and domestic and foreign journalists from the morning.

The Hyundai Motor booth, designed with a Reality Zone and a Metaverse Zone, gathered technologies related to robotics and future mobility. Among them, the Reality Zone, meaning 'closer to reality,' exhibited applications based on the 'Plug and Drive module' (PnD module) such as personal mobility, service mobility, and logistics mobility, as well as the small mobility platform 'MOBED' equipped with the 'Drive and Lift module' (DnL module). Also on display were Boston Dynamics' quadruped robot dog 'Spot' and bipedal robot 'Atlas.'

On the 5th (local time) at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, Hyundai Motor showcased the quadruped robot dog 'Spot' at CES 2022. Spot performed a so-called 'precise choreography' to BTS's song on site that day.
Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@

As the demonstration began, three Spots appeared and greeted the audience with synchronized choreography to BTS's music. Watching the movements of the personal mobility and MOBED, part of the Mobility of Things (MoT), it became clear why Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung said at the press conference the day before, "Hyundai Motor's robotics vision will enable humanity's infinite mobility and progress."

One of the core elements realizing MoT, the PnD module, is an integrated mobility system combining an in-wheel motor, steering, suspension, brake system, and environmental perception sensors into a single structure. It provides mobility regardless of the size or number of objects.

On the 5th (local time) at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States during CES 2022, Hyundai Motor showcased personal mobility capable of 360-degree on-the-spot rotation and sideways crab walking. /Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@

In the purpose-built vehicle (PBV) personal mobility, a person could ride and perform movements never seen in conventional mobility devices, such as crab walking or on-the-spot spinning, controlled only by a joystick without pedals or gears. Visitors quietly observing emitted small sounds of admiration as the controls resembled those of a spaceship from a sci-fi movie.

The service mobility and logistics mobility, equipped with the same module, featured drawer-like storage compartments that opened and closed, optimized for carrying items.

The DnL module-based small mobility platform MOBED also moved around the booth with its four wheels independently operating. The DnL module applied to MOBED integrates drive, steering, and brake systems into one structure, allowing the motors mounted on each wheel to lift and lower the body.

Additionally, the body could be adjusted to the desired tilt angle, maintaining horizontal balance while climbing inclined slopes or uneven surfaces.

On the 5th (local time) at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, Hyundai Motor showcased the Moved, a small mobility platform based on the DnL module, at CES 2022. The Moved is characterized by its ability to maintain balance and drive smoothly even on stairs, slopes, and uneven surfaces. / Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@

The Metaverse Zone, where visitors could experience the metaverse proposed by Chairman Chung as the third space the day before, was also set up in a corner of the booth. Inside the virtual space-themed experience center, characters modeled after visitors appeared, spoke to them, and took photos. Although the characters still somewhat lacked human likeness and had limited interactive functions, the blueprint for the direction of the metaverse was outlined.

On the 5th (local time), Hyundai's booth at CES 2022 held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States was divided into the Reality Zone, showcasing robots and mobility technologies, and the Metaverse Zone, where visitors could experience the metaverse. A character modeled after the visitors stands with the robot dog Spot, engaging with people.
Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@

Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab Executive Director Dong-jin Hyun said, "(Robots) will be modularized for common use, and through this, lowering costs by economies of scale is the biggest challenge for mass production," adding, "We will demonstrate advanced technology through precise manipulation."

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