A very large number of things have been revealed during this week’s CES, some very exciting, others simply unremarkable. It’s up to you to decide into which category this one falls, as new Segway robot is going to follow you around.
- The product is a result of the collaboration between Ninebot, Intel, and Xiaomi
- Ninebot Segway can reach speeds up to 11 miles per hour
- A single charge can provide a battery life that would last for up to 18 miles
- Developers are welcome to develop Android-based apps for the robot
- The robot can move around using sensors similar to those of the Roomba
After Segway was taken over by Chinese tech titan Ninebot, it was time for the company to reinvent what it stood for.
Bring in the Ninebot Segway, the result of the collaboration between Ninebot, which provided the idea, Intel, which provided the machine’s processor and sensors, and Xiaomi, as the main investors.
The project’s goal was to reduce the ridicule associated with using a Segway, as well as to reinvent the company’s titular product after it was taken in by the Chinese company.
Resulting from these factors is the new product, the Ninebot Segway, which is basically a Segway that turns into a robot when you get off it.
Developers chose to call it a hoverboard now, as it lacks a handlebar, everything being made digital; well, that and also because hoverboards became a very over-utilized name for products last year, regardless if they actually hovered or if they were boards.
After riding the new Segway, it opens its digital eyes and gets a mind of its own. The developers say that it is a huge step towards a helpful house robot, but that remains to be seen.
Employing Intel’s RealSense camera, the robot can navigate basically any dynamic environment, using both its own sensors, and sensors you can place around the house.
The Intel Atom processor inside the machine allows it to use its tracking abilities, as well as its 3 types of cameras – a regular camera that can take photos and videos, a fish eye tracking camera, and a depth discerning camera.
But there is a whole lot of room for improvement, as the base platform for the Ninebot Segway is Android; so, the developers welcomed any and all who would like to develop apps for the device to do so.
The machine’s full developers’ edition, complete with a full software developer kit, is estimated to be released in the third quarter of 2016, although no price was announced as of yet.
You can watch the video presentation below.
Image source: YouTube
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.