Honda robots, vehicles powered by new Mobile Power Packs

6 years, 3 months ago - 11 January 2018, Autoblog

Awhile back, Honda announced it would display a number of helpful robots alongside a new swappable, portable electric power system at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Now, the automaker has loosed its robotic fleet and introduced its Mobile Power Pack, along with vehicles it can power.

The Honda Mobile Power Pack is a swappable battery capable of storing 1 kWh or more, than can be used to power anything from electronic devices to vehicles. In addition, Exchangers can be set up in public places to allow for battery swapping and charging, meanwhile helping to stabilize the grid it's connected to. As examples of uses for the portable energy system, Honda showed its PCX Electric, a scooter powered by the mobile power pack, and the 4W-Vehicle concept, based on the Honda Pioneer 500 side-by-side ATV.

Also powered by these batteries are the robots Honda displayed at CES. The 3E (which stands for Empower, Experience and Empathy) Robotics Concepts are meant to make our daily lives better in different ways. Our favorite, the 3E-D18, represents the "Empower" part of the range. It's an autonomous workhorse robot that is based on a four-wheel ATV, meant to provide support at job sites. It can be fitted with a number of attachments to perform different jobs and lighten the load for humans. This can help reduce worker exposure to dangerous environments, or simply save time and energy by transporting equipment across the rough terrain of a large site. Learn more in the video above.

The 3E-B18 also falls under the "Empower" category, a robotic chair designed to assist people indoors or outdoors, even in tight confines.

Representing "Experience" is the 3E-C18. It's an AI-enabled platform for entrepreneurs and artists. It's like a little helper buddy that can carry things around, learning from you as you go about your day. It observes, interacts, helps, and uses AI to operate autonomously as well.

Finally, "Empathy" is embodied in the 3E-A18, which uses AI to communicate and cooperate with people. It can serve as a guide in busy, crowded places, and provide comfort to people who need it. Think of it like a little robotic service animal.