Like All Eccentrics, Hyundai’s New Mobile Eccentric Droid May Be Going Into The Film Business

Hyundai today unveiled the Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED), a new “small mobility platform” it has developed for use in a variety of fields. With an adaptable wheelbase and advanced technology, it’s perfect for indoor and outdoor use.

The MobED is made up of a flat rectangular platform on which a variety of tools can be placed, which rides on four large, 12-inch wheels. It also features an independent suspension that enables different body postures, allowing the platform to stay level on uneven terrain.

Although its full range of uses likely hasn’t been discovered yet, Hyundai foresees the MobED as being useful for deliveries and guiding, while its gimble-like stability could be useful for film crews. Rather than setting up tracks, Steven Spielberg could soon use one of these for his lengthy tracking shots. It’s even strong enough to help move people with limited mobility.

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At 67 cm (26.3-inches) long, 60 cm (23.6-inches) wide, and 33 cm (12.9-inches) high, the MobED is big enough to hold a 2 kWh battery and weighs 50 kg (110 lbs). Its ability to adapt to terrain, though, also means that its wheelbase can expand from 45 cm (17.7-inches) to 65 cm (25.5-inches). With the wheels fully extended, the droid can go up to 30 km/h (18.6 mph). With its wheels fully retracted, it’s small and maneuverable enough to tackle complex environments.

“We have developed the MobED platform to overcome the limitations of existing indoor guide and service robots while maximizing its usability in cities by dramatically improving the platform’s overall mobility,” said Dong Jin Hyun, Head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab. “We are also looking ahead to assess how potential users of MobED will further expand their needs and use for this type of technology.”

Hyundai promises hours of use out of a single charge and says that its pneumatic tires allow it to better absorb bumps, just in case you have a tower of glasses that need to be delivered.

The MobED will be shown to the public at CES 2022, happening January 5-8, 2022 in Las Vegas. At the event, Hyundai says it will present its future vision with robotics.