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Toyota Winglet Personal Transport Asistant

TheFuture — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:35:40 +0000

Toyota Winglet is a prototype of future personal transportation, Toyota motors has come up with their version of walking assistant. Named as Winglet, it’s a personal transport assistant and is ridden in standing position. It has an electric motor, two wheels and an internal sensor for monitoring the user position. The unique parallel link mechanism allows the users to go forward, backward, and it turns by a simple shift of body weight, thus it comes handy even in crowded places. It ensures stability by making power adjustments and sure is one good walking assistant and suits the purpose for moving around safely and freely. Innovation in personal transportation is good, but this kind of transport will make our generation less walk and fatter.

Press Release :

Toyota Develops Personal Transport Assistance Robot ‘Winglet’
Aug 1, 2008 Tokyo — TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today development of the “Winglet”, a personal transport assistance robot ridden in a standing position.

The Winglet—still being refined—is one of TMC’s people-assisting Toyota Partner Robots. Designed to contribute to society by helping people enjoy a safe and fully mobile life, the Winglet is a compact next-generation everyday transport tool that offers advanced ease of use and expands the user’s range of mobility.

The Winglet consists of a body (with a projected area the size of an A3 sheet of paper) that houses an electric motor, two wheels and internal sensors that constantly monitor the user’s position and make adjustments in power to ensure stability. Meanwhile, a unique parallel link mechanism allows the rider to go forward, backward and turn simply by shifting body weight, making the vehicle safe and useful even in tight spaces or crowded environments.

TMC has created three models, the “L”, “M” and “S”, each having different handling features that allow consumers to select a model appropriate to their needs—from “practical” to “hands-free sporty”.

TMC plans various technical and consumer trials to gain feedback during the Winglet’s lead-up to practical use. Practical tests of its utility as a mobility tool are planned to begin in Autumn 2008 at Central Japan International Airport (Centrair) near Nagoya, and Laguna Gamagori, a seaside marine resort complex in Aichi Prefecture. Testing of its usefulness in crowded and other conditions, and how non-users react to the device, is to be carried out in 2009 at the Tressa Yokohama shopping complex in Yokohama City.

TMC is pursuing sustainability in research and development, manufacturing and social contribution as part of its concept to realize “sustainability in three areas” and to help contribute to the health and comfort of future society. Toyota Partner Robot development is being carried out with this in mind and applies TMC’s approach to monozukuri (”making things”), which includes its mobility, production and other technologies. In a related development, TMC unveiled the “MOBIRO” mobility robot, designed for use in a sitting position, in 2007.

TMC aims to realize the practical use of Toyota Partner Robots in the early 2010s by furthering its robotic development and strengthening collaboration between industry, government and academia.

Source : Toyota

Suzuki Crosscage Concept Motorcycle with Hydrogen Powered

TheFuture — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 06:16:19 +0000

Suzuki has announced its hydrogen motorcycle concept at Tokyo Motor Show last November, and the good news is they are ready to put this unconventional motorcycle into production. The crosscage concept motorcycle is a fuel-cell motorcycle in which a simple, compact, lightweight air-cooled fuel-cell system and a high-performance secondary battery are brought together in a way that realizes optimal power control. A fuel-cell unit from British specialist company Intelligent Energy delivers quick activation with low fuel consumption, and a lithium-ion battery combines safety with a low environmental burden. The simplicity, compactness, and lightness of these technologies not only make the crosscage environment-friendly; they also helped enable sporty styling befitting the Suzuki name.

This motorcycle was developed in conjunction with British Intelligent Energy, which make this a great collaboration since British Intelligent has its own hydrogen generation plants. Energy has a portfolio that includes a range of world-class fuel cell, fuel processing, desulphurization and hydrogen generation technologies. The company�s existing home hydrogen generation system means you�ll be able to make your own hydrogen at home. So I guess this news means you will find this motorcycle in the nearest showroom somewhere near the future.

From : Suzuki

Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco-D Concept Dump Truck From Tokyo Motor Show ‘07

TheFuture — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:50:55 +0000

The concept car that brought to you by famous manufacturer are usually reserved for sport cars, but Mitsubishi is showing you a different next generation of a car that you prefer not to see … dump truck concept. Mitsubishi fuso canter dump truck concept car is far away from our perception, it’s sleek, futuristic, and comes in glossy silver color. I like seeing this dump truck concept car on the road someday…

Nissan Pivo 2: 360-Degree Swiveler Electric Nissan Concept

TheFuture — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:36:48 +0000

It’s the new version of Nissa Pivo concept, first shown in 2005, the electric-powered, 360-degree swiveler. Now it’s the Pivo 2. Just the same as the first Pivo, its cabin rotates, eliminating the need for a reverse gear, though its in-wheel motors can propel it in any direction — even sideways. What’s new in the Pivo 2 is its in-car Robotic Agent, a voice-recognition interface (in English or Japanese) to a valet application that can engage in a range of communications from basic vehicle functions to the closest parking space. It looks like a cartoon car, but I really like the design.

Press Release:

THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC FOR NISSAN
- Pivo 2 concept turns heads and itself in Tokyo -

TOKYO (Oct. 5, 2007)-Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today unveiled the Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car that will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Pivo 2 builds on the popularity of the first Pivo, shown at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. Powered by advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and featuring a unique rotating cabin – meaning no reverse gear required – the first Pivo became a cult hit at shows from Beijing to Geneva.
Pivo 2 Concept Car

Reasons to love Pivo 2:

* Electric power from Nissan’s advanced Lithium-ion batteries
* A robotic agent to share every trip
* ‘Revolutionary’ technology with 360 degree turning cabin and 90 degree turning wheels

Pivo 2 takes the idea of an environmentally friendly electric urban commuter vehicle and delivers fun, functionality and a unique relationship between the car and driver. Pivo 2 is powered by advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and employs ‘by-wire’ technologies for braking and steering.

Where the first Pivo, with its fully rotating cabin design, made reversing obsolete, the Pivo 2 takes that easy mobility concept to a new level. Each of the four wheels are powered by Nissan’s advanced electric In-wheel 3D Motor and can turn through 90 degrees to allow Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward.

Thanks to the highly innovative Robotic Agent, you are never alone in the Pivo 2. With conversations possible in Japanese and English, the Robotic Agent has been created to work with Pivo 2 to make every journey less stressful. It provides a unique interface through which to communicate with Pivo 2 on everything from basic vehicle functions through to the nearest available parking.

Pivo 2 will be on display at the Nissan Ginza Gallery in Tokyo, for an exclusive public sneak preview ahead of the Motor Show.