Anything could become a robot with this new Hyundai tech

Chairs for the elderly or vulnerable, storage units or even wardrobes could be on the move in the future with the new plug & drive (PnD) system unveiled by South Korean automaker Hyundai and Boston Dynamics at the CES 2022 event in Las Vegas.

Designed to provide mobility for "traditionally inanimate" objects through robotics technology, the tech stands to bring automation to previously unheard of areas in a bid to increase mobility in the home, office, and potentially, streets.

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Described by the developer as being operated on an "eccentric wheel mechanism", the modules could stand to provide freedom of movement to anything from small objects to entire community spaces as part of a project the company refers to as the "movement of things" - a play on the internet of things (IoT) tech concept to increase digitalisation.

Powered through electricity, the device is designed to be modular, meaning every major aspect, including each of the four wheels, operates independently and autonomously.

The concept comes as part of a greater push towards automation for the company - both in the real world and the "metaverse", the concept for interconnected VR worlds - following its acquisition of Boston Dynamics from SoftBank back in September 2021.

A number of other robotics concepts were unveiled at the event which seeks to use the metaverse to influence the real world.

Known internally as the "Expanding Human Reach" program, it signals the company's shift towards becoming a full-blown tech firm.

"We are directing all our robotics engineering and creative efforts toward building the unlimited Mobility of Things ecosystem," said Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics Lab of Hyundai Motor Group.

"The goal is for robotics to enable all kinds of personal mobility, connected to communicate, move and perform tasks autonomously."

The single wheel unit uses a steering actuator for infinite wheel rotation, meaning it can turn 360 degrees, which enables holonomic movement, like a figure skater. LiDAR and camera sensors allow a PnD-enabled object to move autonomously.

The company claimed at the event that future mobility could become "blurred" through the continued integration of robotics and other information technologies such as AI and autonomous driving - platforms such as urban air mobility could serve as smart devices for access to the metaverse platform", company leaders stated.

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"At Hyundai, we are harnessing the power of robotics to achieve great things", said the automaker's executive chairman Euisun Chung.

"We envision future mobility solutions made possible by advanced robotics – even expanding our mobility solutions to Metamobility. This vision will enable unlimited freedom of movement and progress for humanity.

 - The conference in its entirety can be viewed here:

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