Jul 05 (Japan Times) - Chiba Institute of Technology unveiled Wednesday a transformable machine that can play dual roles - as both a robot, fused with artificial intelligence technologies, and a vehicle to enhance personal mobility.
The three-wheeled robot called CanguRo - meaning kangaroo in Italian - resembles the animal, but with a mechanical twist.
In robot mode, it functions as a type of assistant. For example, it can follow users around using autonomous-driving technology to help carry shopping bags, said Takayuki Furuta, general manager of the Future Robotics Technology Center run by the university.
When switched to vehicle mode, the robot transforms itself to an electric three-wheeler by unfolding a seat and moving the positions of its wheels.
Controlling the three-wheeler is similar to driving a motorcycle, as it is equipped with a throttle to control forward and backward movement. It can run at a maximum speed of 10 kilometers per hour.
Source: ANNnewsCH
