Honda will maintain the worldwide debut of a first-of-its-kind prolonged actuality (XR) expertise at SXSW 2024, merging the enjoyment of mobility with digital actuality (VR) adventures. The all-new Honda XR Mobility Expertise integrates digital environments with the real-world expertise of driving the Honda UNI-ONE, a hands-free, private mobility machine.
“With the Honda XR Mobility Expertise, we’re increasing the enjoyment and freedom of non-public mobility into leisure functions,” mentioned Hirokazu Hara, vice chairman of New Enterprise Improvement, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “By combining the distinctive, bodily expertise of driving the Honda UNI-ONE with extremely immersive digital leisure, Honda is making a model new multimodal expertise that takes prolonged actuality applied sciences to the subsequent degree.”
SXSW 2024 marks the US debut of the Honda UNI-ONE, a hands-free, private mobility machine that options superior self-balancing know-how and sensors that allow the person to maneuver in any path based mostly on postural actions.
UNI-ONE encompasses a seat that may be raised and lowered, making mobility extra enjoyable when interacting with individuals on the similar eye degree. In “excessive place,” the person is nearer to the attention degree of somebody standing and might transfer in all instructions – ahead, backward, sideways or diagonally – in addition to flip round with each palms free, just by leaning in a single path to shift their weight. In “low place,” the person is ready to higher talk with those that are seated or babies and might transfer in any path by steering with a joystick.
The electrical UNI-ONE is supplied with Honda’s unique wheel mechanism, Honda Omni Traction Drive System (HOT Drive System), an evolution and development of the Honda UNI-CUB β machine – first launched in 2013. UNI-ONE has two models of the HOT Drive System – one on all sides – enabling the person to maneuver easily in any path. Primarily based on a person’s posture, UNI-ONE can estimate the person’s intentions, corresponding to a need to remain in place or transfer in a selected path and velocity. The stabilization perform controls UNI-ONE’s wheels so it doesn’t lean too far and applies suggestions to realize pure habits that’s neither too quick nor too sluggish.Starting in 2023, Honda has been demonstration testing UNI-ONE for a number of use instances in Japan, together with on the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi; Suzuka Circuit Park in Suzuka, Mie; and the Gotemba Premium Shops in Gotemba, Shizuoka. For the demonstration testing at Suzuka Circuit Park, Honda built-in UNI-ONE with AR know-how to create a recreation. Customers play by holding a pill and navigate UNI-ONE in line with scenes displayed on the pill. These demonstration trials are serving to to validate UNI-ONE as a mobility machine for leisure functions.
UNI-ONE is designed to supply stress-free mobility and enchantment to a variety of customers. It’s battery-operated and has a most velocity of three.7 miles per hour. The utmost person weight capability is 242 kilos.
SXSW attendees can experience UNI-ONE and immerse themselves in their very own “select your VR journey” on the Honda XR Mobility Expertise. Whereas sporting a VR headset and shifting their physique weight to steer UNI-ONE, customers can expertise the peaceable feeling of floating within the sky or the exhilarating feeling of gliding alongside a half-pipe path.
Working towards commercialization within the U.S., Honda envisions individuals having fun with the XR mobility expertise in indoor and outside obstacle-free areas, together with theme parks, leisure amenities and retail areas corresponding to buying malls. Honda additionally believes that UNI-ONE can be utilized as a mobility machine in XR video games, corresponding to a racing recreation the place gamers use their palms whereas transferring freely or a recreation through which gamers comply with sure routes.
Along with leisure and retail enterprise companions, Honda is looking for to collaborate with AR and VR builders to create customized digital experiences choreographed with the actions of driving UNI-ONE.
