CanguRo Mobileca Roboto by Shunji Yamanaka - fuRo

CanguRo Mobileca Roboto by Shunji Yamanaka - fuRo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Platena A' Design Award in Dezajno de Veturiloj, Movebleco kaj Transportado Competition Category.

PlatenoVeturiloj· 2021

CanguRo Mobileca Roboto

by Shunji Yamanaka - fuRo

Client: Shunji Yamanaka and Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo)

Platena A' Design Award Winner in Veturiloj Category

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The Design

About CanguRo Mobileca Roboto

Kun CanguRo, nova rilato inter maŝinoj kaj homoj en la epoko de artefarita inteligenteco estis kreita. Dotita per altnivela robotiko kaj AI-teknologioj, ĉi tiu trirada roboto estas sendependa tamen amika partnero, kapabla pri aŭtomata veturado kaj sekvi homan paŝadon per saĝtelefonaj komandoj. Krome, kiam ĝi transformiĝas, CanguRo fariĝas persona transportilo provizanta efektivan veturon. Ĝia koncepto estas oferi la ĝojon de moviĝado kaj aktivigi la ĉiutagajn vivojn de homoj.

The Recognition

About the Platena A' Design Award

CanguRo Mobileca Roboto estas gajninto de la Platena A' Design Award, escepte prestiĝa rekono donata al vere esceptaj, elegantaj kaj grandiozaj dezajnoj. La Platenaj gajnintoj estas mirindaĵoj de kreado, atestoj pri la limoj de intelekta kreemo, kaj montras la senrivalan profesiecon kaj genion de siaj dezajnistoj. Oni atendas, ke ĉi tiuj dezajnoj estu la plej renomaj verkoj, kiuj difinas la estetikon de epoko, kontribuas al la bonstato de la socio kaj puŝas la limojn de arto, scienco, dezajno kaj teknologio. CanguRo Mobileca Roboto montras transcendan nivelon de elstareco kaj sendube plibonigas la mondon per siaj avantaĝaj kaj valoraj ecoj. CanguRo Mobileca Roboto estas verko gajninta la Platenan A' Design Award, kiu vekas dezirojn, inspiras, ekscitas, ĝojigas kaj ekbrilas grandan ĝojon.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: With CanguRo, we hope to forge a new relationship between machines and humans in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Blessed with advanced robotics and AI technologies, this three-wheeled robot is an independent yet friendly partner, capable of autonomously coming to you via smartphone commands, avoiding obstacles and following your walk. When it transforms, furthermore, CanguRo is ready to give us an actual ride, being not just a vehicle but a trustworthy creature like a horse.
Dimensions & Packaging: This three-wheeled mobility robot has 750 mm in length (in the vehicle mode), 440 mm of width and 64 kg of mass, and is driven by two front wheels (12 inch) and steered by one rear wheel (10 inch). With a laser sensor installed, it can move to a specified destination autonomously and follow a walking human. It can also transform to a personal transporter, featured by active lean balancing, bilaterally weight-controlled handle, body-sonic status communication and automatic braking.
Tags: Mobility Robot, Autonomous Mobile Robot, Partner Robot, Personal Vehicle, Transporter, Artificial Intelligence
Production Technology: Essential to a machine intelligence for autonomous navigation is a technology, called SLAM, for localization and map building. Our original software package is successfully implemented with navigation and obstacle-detecting functions. Another importance is on the enhancement of the sense of unity. All the elements that make up this robot, including its figure, structure and various control systems combining familiarity and functionality, are fully designed for this objective.
Design Challenge: Enhancing a sense of unity between the rider and the robot is our challenge. For this purpose, several new ideas are implemented. For example, CanguRo uses tactically placed force sensors to find rider's intentions and changes its posture for stable turns. It also has a unique communication system of heartbeat-like body sonic and bilaterally weight-controlled handle. Footrests are located at swing forks closely to in-wheel drive units, allowing us to feel CanguRo's drive force through our legs.
Research: As a new class of partner robots, an actual working model, CanguRo, capable of self-driving, following a walking human as well as transforming to a personal vehicle, has been designed and developed. The primary concept is to promote a sense of unity between the robot and us and to offer the joy of moving, leading to encouragement of going outside and being active in our daily lives. Through its presentations to the society, we continue to evaluate the social value of such a mobility robot.
Inspiration: Since old days, horses have been our faithful and reliable partners. They have not only been a means of our transportation, but also lived with us and helped our lives in many ways through carrying loads or going along for hunting. This design project was inspired by the realization of their importance as our close friends. Focusing on their roles in our lives, we have attempted and succeeded to create such a partner using today's civilization technologies.
Project Duration: This mobility robot was designed and developed in Japan and exhibited at several museums including Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, 2019 and the Design Museum in London, 2020.
Operation Flow: The operation of CanguRo is rather easy. While surroundings are mapped automatically, you can choose either of the autonomous robot or the transporter operation. At a shopping mall, for example, you can summon CanguRo by a smartphone and start shopping while leaving your baggage on the following CanguRo. If you feel tired, you can ride CanguRo in the transporter mode as well. These functionalities of CanguRo have a great potential to change our daily lives and expand the range of our activities.
Patents: Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo)
Team Members: Shunji Yamanaka
Takayuki Furuta
Hideaki Yamato
Kiyoshi Irie
Takashi Kodachi
Kazuki Ogihara
Yoshitaka Hara
Kengo Toda
Yu Okumura
Midori Nomura
Masaharu Shimizu
Tomoaki Yoshida
Masahiro Tomono
Image Credits: Photo by Yusuke Nishibe