CanguRo, intelligent robot partner, RideRoid, Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo), Chiba, Japan


RidRoid CanguRo

Published on Jul 3, 2018

As a partner robot, it never leaves the side of its master. It transforms into a vehicle that augments its master’s physical functions—motional and sensory—and travels with the master as one. It is a machine lifeform produced from the latest robotics and AI technologies fused by product design. Its name is CanguRo.

fuRo collaborated with Shunji Yamanaka
 

CanguRo - technical details

Published on Jul 12, 2018

Bringing Mobility into Future Dimensions
To provide the user with mobility and be a good partner, CanguRo exploits fuRo’s transformation technologies. In ride mode, CanguRo is an efficient provider of mobility. In roid mode, it operates as an intelligent robot partner.

The new category is named RideRoid, a combination of ride and roid. Following CanguRo, we will continue to produce many more RideRoids in the future, wishing to have them run around the world like cars and motorcycles today.
 

RidRoid CanguRo smart scooter - Behold the future

Published on Jul 25, 2018

CanguRo smart scooter can follow you around or take you for a ride

Developed by Shunji Yamanaka at Chiba Institute of Technology's Future Robot Technology Research Center (fuRo) in Japan, the CanguRo is designed to be a follow-me personal assistant and (slow poke) people mover. In the former mode, it's 550 mm (21.6 in) long and uses artificial intelligence smarts known as scanSLAM to generate 3D maps using data from sensors and estimate its own location within that space.

That sensor array includes 3D LiDAR, a wide angle camera and distance sensor. It runs on fuRo's own robot operating system, and can automatically follow its user around or be wirelessly controlled from a tablet or smartphone. And it can be automatically sent to a specific location, to meet its user after a meeting perhaps.

The CanguRo can also transform into a scooter-like transporter, raising the seat and lengthening the ride to 750 mm (29.5 in). It rolls courtesy of in-wheel brushless motors to the 12-inch wheels at the front and steers via the 10-inch chunky rear wheel. A top speed of 10 km/h (6 mph) and 0.93 Nm of torque isn't going to win any races, but should get its rider to the lecture hall or board room in a relaxed state.

The 64 kg (141 lb) robot ride doesn't use a display to let the rider know the speed, but an ever quickening beat from built-in haptics located under the seat. A force sensor detects rider movement to auto lean into the turn, and the futuristic-looking smart scooter sends force feedback through the handlebars to indicate turning radius. It will automatically hit the brakes if it detects a potential accident, and rocks obstacle detection and avoidance smarts.

Production-ready as this playful robot scooter looks, it's unlikely you'll see it on sale anywhere as it's a research project. But you can see the CanguRo in action in the cutesy video below.
 
Back
Top