Segway-style Personal Mobility Robot wheelchair for the indoors

We’ve come a long way into an era where robot makers are striving to create robotics in order to make lives easy and independent for senior citizens and the dependent souls. The Indoor Personal Mobility Robot is another exemplar to the same. The robotic wheelchair isn’t the first of the type, but is surly novel in its utility and functionality that’s pretty similar to a Segway.

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Developed by the University of Tokyo, this prototype Indoor Personal Mobility Robot features sensors on the seat, footrest, back and headrest, which lets the user move the chair by his center of gravity. The mobility device takes the user’s upper body moments for command; "leaning forward, back and turning side-to-side" are indications for the robot to move in the desired direction within the house.

Measuring 130cm in height and weighing about 45kg, the robot which could be commercialized in a few years, would definitely make life easier for people who have trouble moving indoors. Check out the video below to understand the robotic wheelchair better.

Via: CrunchGear/Dvice