Toyota Unveils Two New Robots

Toyota has unveiled today two new robots today, a “Mobility Robot” and a “Violin-playing Robot” – both developed to support people’s everyday life.

Mobility Robot

Main use:
Assistance with short-distance personal transport.

Description:
Can negotiate steps with independent vertical movement of left and right wheels, allowing it to assist in short-distance personal mobility.

Features:
– Has a traveling range of 20km on one hour of battery charge.
– Travels at up to 6km/h and capable of traversing a 10-degree gradient.
– Capable of following a person, allowing it to function as a porter.
– Capable of avoiding obstacles to reach its owner and of autonomously transporting its owner.

Violin-playing Robot

Main use:
Assistance with domestic duties and nursing and medical care.

Description:
Easy-to-become-familiar-with bipedal robot, capable of performing a variety of tasks with its hands and arms.

Features:
– Able to achieve dexterous, human-like hand movement and arm strength when playing the violin.
– Able to achieve vibrato on a violin similar to that created by humans.

Here’s a video of the two robots in action:

Head over to toyota.co.jp to read the full press release. (Update: Link removed because the page is gone.)