The Hyundai Motor Group has been developing a new concept of future mobility that transcends mobility limits by integrating mobility and robot technology. On the 10th, Hyundai Motor Group recently developed the’TIGER’, an intelligent ground-moving robot that transforms freely in the form of a prototype (prototype) and released its appearance for the first time on online channels such as YouTube.
Tiger is a product developed by’New Horizons Studio,’ which was launched early last year as an organization dedicated to future mobility under the Hyundai Motor Group.
It was manufactured in a modular type like the walking mobility’Elevate’, which was unveiled at the 2019 American International Electronics Show (CES). Various parts can be combined and disassembled.
However, if the elevator is a manned mobility, the fact that the Tiger was developed for unmanned use with a much smaller size draws attention. The length of the front and back is 80cm, the width of the left and right is 40cm, and the weight is only about 12kg. Four robot legs are equipped with wheels, and since these robot legs are completely folded, it can be transformed into a four-wheeled vehicle normally, and a quadruped walking robot if necessary.
First, the flat surface is driven by four-wheel drive, but in uneven or remote areas where people are difficult to enter, the legs with wheels stretch out and move on foot. Especially, it is possible to fly at all when traveling long distances. Since it is manufactured in a modular type that can be thoroughly combined and disassembled, it can fly as it is by combining a’Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)’ on top of the Tiger. The UAV and Tiger can also charge the other party while in contact with each other.
The name of Tiger’s first concept model released this time is’X-1′, where X means’experimental’. Therefore, Tiger was released only as a prototype this time, but the commercialization time has not been decided yet.
Since Tiger can be moved freely anywhere in the future, it is expected to be used for transportation of emergency supplies in case of scientific exploration or emergency rescue using various sensors in the future. It can also perform multi-purpose tasks that are difficult to do with ordinary vehicles, such as delivering goods to remote locations.
Outwardly, it features a’symmetrical design’ structure that can easily switch directions not only forward and backward, but also left and right. It has a separate cargo storage compartment inside the vehicle to reinforce the protection function of goods, and the robotic legs can maintain the level at all times, allowing goods to be safely transported even in areas with irregular road conditions such as rough roads and polar regions.
New Horizons Studio draws attention because it is developing Tiger in an open and collaborative way. ‘Autodesk’, an American engineering design company based on artificial intelligence (AI), and’Sundberg-Ferra,’ a concept design company, joined hands with Hyundai Motor Group. Autodesk’s AI-powered special design technology has helped the design sector to make Tiger’s legs, wheels, chassis, and tires lightweight and robust in 3D printing. Sundberg-Ferra designed exterior styling, body and leg parts, and participated in software development.
Currently, the head of New Horizons Studio is John Seo, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor Group. He emphasizes that this time Tiger corresponds to the’Ultimate Mobility Vehicle’, or’UMV’ for short. Seo explained, “There have been various means of transportation developed so far, but this is the first time in a vehicle that combines robot legs and wheels.” Based on the release of the Tiger prototype, if full-scale development for future commercialization proceeds, Hyundai Motor Group’s unmanned mobility development is expected to accelerate further. “The future mobility such as Tiger and the new technology that is the foundation of it provide the power to move our imagination in a new direction.” “I’m constantly looking for ways to do it.”
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