The rising six-wheelchair wheelchair "iBot" invented by Segway's creator revives with Toyota

Having six large and small wheels makes it possible to advance on slopes and steps without even making things, and even in the near future wheelchair which can run with a change in posture as if it were standing up with two legs "IBot"Is revealed to come back in cooperation with Toyota. IBot is an electric standing motorcycle "SegwayKnown for inventing "Dean KaemenIt was a vehicle invented by Mr., but there was hardly any movement since around 2010.

IBOT Poised for Comeback | Corporate
http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota-deka-research-partnership-may21.htm

Toyota Motor North America, one of Toyota's American companies, collaborated with "DEKA Research and Development" established by Mr. Kamen on May 21, 2016 to develop iBot and to provide next-generation iBots We have announced that we have reached an agreement by laying a support system to do.

There is a movie released by Mr. Kamen on his own iBot announcing partnership.

IBOT - YouTube


Kamen appeared on the iBot. In this state iBot is just like two Segway standing up with only two wheels.


By having six wheels driven by a motor, the iBot has high running performance even under various conditions.


When climbing the slope it was in a 6 wheel state, but when walking side by side with a person who is accompanied ... ...


Only two wheels behind can drive up with "hi-hi" rising. By doing this, it is an epoch-making point that the advantage of being able to walk with the same line of sight as the person next to you is born.


You can climb the slopes of slippery grass ... ...


Of course it is possible to go down the slope. Even in such a situation, since the seat angle angle is always kept constant, there is no worry that the riding person will slide down.


Even with a step that seems to be stuck if it is an ordinary wheelchair, you can travel by manipulating the four large wheels skillfully.


Although there are still places where "barrier free" is not thoroughly done in the world yet, iBot can proceed without problem even in such a place.


Mr. Kamen invented the iBot before and after the 2000s, and in 2000 he was in the office of the White House and was also included in the photo together with then US President Bill Clinton. Although it is a Segway that is recognized as an epoch-making vehicle, in fact it is fact that it was born after deriving from iBot which was being developed earlier by the name of development code "Fred".


The iBot which attracted attention as "wheelchair by Segway inventor" actually was sold for $ 25,000 (270 million yen in 110 yen conversion), but because the sales were not very good, 2010 It was in a state where little movement was seen around the year.

IBOT Discontinued - Unfortunate for the Disabled but Perhaps a Budding Robotics Opportunity? | Hizook
http://www.hizook.com/blog/2009/02/11/ibot-discontinued-unfortunate-disabled-perhaps-budding-robotics-opportunity

At the time of sale, products were introduced even in television commercials, and it seems that sales activities were done. In the following CM images, it is said that the benefits of being able to realize the lifestyle which was impossible with the conventional wheelchair can be realized by running the beach and climbing up and down the stairs in a landmark manner.

IBot Robotic Wheelchair Commercial - YouTube


Both Toyota and DEKA jointly announce the development of iBot as a solution for handicapped people. The timing when "newborn iBot" actually appears is undecided.