The Yomiuri Shimbun
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Japan university releases rideable robot
The Chiba Institute of Technology has unveiled a robot called CanguRo that can move about on its own or be ridden like a bicycle.
The developer said it aimed to make use of the robot at shopping malls and construction sites by sometime around 2020.
The 64-kilogram CanguRo, shown to the press on Wednesday, has two front wheels and one rear wheel. A long, slightly curved bar rises from the rear half of its squat body and extends forward like the neck of a giraffe. A pair of handlebars on the end of the neck resembles the giraffe’s ears.
A laser device and a camera mounted in the “head” enable the robot to recognize its surroundings so that it can move autonomously while avoiding obstacles. CanguRo also can carry bags on shopping trips or go pick people up, acting just like a human partner.
When switched to “ride mode,” CanguRo transforms into a mini motorbike-like vehicle by spreading its front wheels and popping up a saddle from the back of its neck. It can run at about 15 kph carrying a person, the developer said.
There are future plans to add a function to CanguRo that will enable it to engage in conversation with humans.
Developer Takayuki Furuta, general manager of the university’s Future Robotics Technology Center, said, “We want to create a new relationship between people and vehicles.” (236 words)
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