Hyundai Motor Group has revealed the Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED), an all-new and pioneering small mobility platform using cutting-edge robotics technologies. The MobED features four uniquely positioned wheels that move optimally and independently with a low and flat, rectangular body.
Hyundai MobED rides on four large wheels, with an independent suspension that enables optimal body posture and stable movement even on inclined and uneven roads. This suspension allows the platform to move through complex urban environments by freely adjusting its wheelbase and steering angles.
The Hyundai MobED platform was created to overcome the limitations of current indoor driving and service robots while maximizing its usability in cities and significantly improving the overall mobility of the platform.
Equipped with innovative technologies, including an advanced ‘Eccentric Wheel’ drive and high-tech steering, braking, and altitude control systems, the MobED adapts and realizes optimum posture on various road surfaces and environments. The three motors mounted on each wheel provide power and steering precision to the wheels while also controlling the overall body posture.
The intelligent design arrangement of each wheel with an individual power and steering control system enables in-place rotation and omnidirectional movement, which allows highly effective mobility even in tight space situations. The posture control system based on original mechanisms stabilizes the attitude of the body, adjusting the height of each wheel according to the conditions of the ground. The MobED’s 12-inch pneumatic tires further help to absorb bumps and vibrations.
Hyundai MobED measures 67cm long, 60cm wide, 33cm high and weighs 50kg. Its wheelbase expands up to 65cm for optimum stability in high-speed driving and then drops to 45cm for low-speed maneuvers in more complex environments. Its top speed is 30 km/h (19 mph) and allows for around four hours of driving on a single charge with a battery capacity of 2 kWh.
Designed for full versatility and modularity, MobED can be used for various applications, depending on the mounted device. The Group expects the platform’s wheel adjustability, compact body size, and low vibration capabilities to make it an optimal technology solution in delivering, guiding, and filming equipment. Thanks to its exceptional maneuverability, the platform can also be used for service robots that can operate both indoors and outdoors.
MobED can be used as a mobility device for the elderly or the disabled when the platform is sufficiently increased for people to mount it. The platform will make its international debut at CES 2022 in January, where Hyundai Motor will present its future vision with robotics.
