AV zombie

Toyota has shown a prototype ‘personal transport assistance robot’ to the Japanese press. Dubbed the Winglet, it’s designed to help users cover short distances or negotiate steep hills. Looking rather like a mini- Segway, it can be steered by body weight and positioning. Lean forward to go forward, and lean left or right to turn. Toyota’s Takeshi Uchiyamada says “We hope to create friendly robots that can exist side by side with people. Winglet will help everyone move around safely and stay active.”
Toyota unveiled three models which vary in height. The largest stands 1,130mm high. All have a top speed of just 3.7 MPH and are powered by an electric motor that take an hour to charge. Each charge is good for between 3 and 6 miles. The company says it is targeting the elderly with the robo-scooter.
The devices will be trialled at a Japanese airport and a leisure resort later this year, before the firm gauges reaction to it at a mall in 2009.
Bizarrely, the Winglet is a direct descendant of Sony’s late Aibo robot pet. Sony off-loaded its robotics division to Toyota when it restructured.