As technology continues to advance, we, as humanity, are moving step by step towards a future with more robotic system concepts. Hyundai, one of the most pioneering representatives of a future where robot systems are common, had previously introduced some of its robotic concepts aimed at making life more practical. However, it seems that the eye of the South Korean-based automaker giant is one click higher than that.
Hyundai; It introduced its concept called “Mobility of Things,” which it claims will power a range of objects, from houseplants to bookshelves, from ambulances to autonomous passenger compartments. Dong Jin Hyun, head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics Laboratory, stated that the range of things that can be robotized is “unlimited” in his statement; He notes that their goal is for robotic systems to enable all kinds of personal mobility.
It is aimed to make inanimate objects move
Stating that they have developed two different standards: a modular platform called “Plug and Drive” (Plug and Drive / PnD), which combines steering, electric drive and suspension equipment, and “Drive and Lift” (DnL), which can lift objects up and down. ; By combining these systems with the four-wheeled robot MobED, which it announced last month, it aims to be able to autonomously move many objects, from tables and containers to human carriers.
To put it simply, the PnD modular platform that makes inanimate objects move; It is defined as an all-in-one mobility solution that combines intelligent steering, braking, in-wheel electric drive and suspension hardware. With LiDAR and camera sensors, a PnD-enabled object is planned to be able to move independently. Noting that the PnD Module will be adaptable to meet people’s needs, Hyun says, “Because in the next world, you won’t be moving your stuff – they will be moving around you.”
On the other hand, Hyundai claims these modular platforms can be configured to be modified around people’s needs to enable “purpose-built spaces.” Although Hyundai’s dream for the future may sound good, the realization of this dream also depends on how it will look in real life.
For example, Hyundai dreams of robot buses with personalized ‘test tube’ containers that are likely to make the lives of people with reduced mobility, such as the elderly, easier. While the idea may seem rather dystopian, considering how rapidly technology has evolved, that doesn’t actually seem like a remote possibility. Regardless, Hyundai seems to have full faith that this type of robotic system will have a solid place in the future.