"Walk Me": Toyota shows walking robot chair
"Walk Me" is intended to transport people on four legs who can no longer walk well. The robot chair works, but is still a study.
(Image: Toyota)
Automaker Toyota is showcasing the “Walk Me” robot chair at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, which will take place from October 30 to November 9 in Tokyo, Japan. With its four legs, the chair is designed to walk independently and provide greater mobility for people with walking impairments. The chair is initially just a design study, not yet a finished product slated for imminent marketing.
Toyota's “Walk Me” robot chair consists of a rear-opening seat shell upholstered in fabric. It is mounted on a spherical platform housing the electronics and the upper actuators of the four movable, tentacle-like legs, each with two joints. It is unclear how many degrees of freedom each leg has, but it is likely at least four.
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The legs of the robots can lift and bend independently and perform a walking motion. When at rest, the chair's legs are folded so that they provide a stable base and require no power. In principle, the consumer then has a colorful, stylish piece of furniture.
Over hill and dale
The user controls the chair via a small joystick or buttons integrated into two side grips. The grips also serve as handholds. The locomotion is not entirely smooth, especially when the chair, including the person, has to climb stairs. “Walk Me” generates the necessary walking and climbing movements itself. This is intended to work even on uneven surfaces.
The chair can also be remotely controlled and move partially autonomously. It will likely be possible to summon it to bring the user to the desired location. Accordingly, the robot chair is primarily suitable for people with walking impairments who can no longer walk well.
“Walk Me” is apparently designed for indoor use. Longer distances probably cannot be covered with it. However, Toyota does not provide information on this. The company does cite an example of use where the chair maneuvers a user to a vehicle, lifts the chair slightly, and tilts forward to make it easier for the user to get into the car.
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Toyota remains silent on technical details: the maximum payload weight, operating time, and a possible price remain unclear.
(olb)
