Hi, guys! Philip English from RoboPhil.com and today we have an interview with the CEO of Amoeba Energy, who are telling us about their robots.

Philip English – Right so hi guys. It’s Philip English, 2019 iREX. And we’re here at another stand and this is quite an interesting stand. This looks set out to be like this soft robotics. So, I’ll get the gentleman to introduce himself and tell us a little bit more about the company. So what’s your name sir?

Masashi Aono – Masashi Aono, I’m CEO of Amoeba Energy.

Philip English – All right, fantastic. And can you give us an overview of your product really.

Masashi Aono – Yes so we are creating a soft robot. The robot made of the soft material, and in this case we are using the rubber foam for the track. So that this robot can climb up, climb down the stairs with arbitrary, you know defense types of steps. ’cause the soft material changes their shapes. So even though there are many irregularities this robot doesn’t care.

Philip English – It doesn’t care. And the idea is this for to be an external robot to go outside–

Masashi Aono – We were thinking about using this robot interior. Inside a house or a building.

Philip English – Okay, okay. So it’s internal like delivery. Yeah, I mean I love your branding, I mean I love the yellow and the name and everything.

Masashi Aono – Thank you.

Philip English – I think that’s really smart. I really, really like it. So this is the prototype, so how long do you reckon another year or so before you get it into production?

Masashi Aono – So we are planning to sell our first product in 2021.

Philip English – 2021, Okay.

Masashi Aono – By that time we’ll perform many times experiments so that we can, you know, develop the techniques to get it to the market.

Philip English – And then I can see from the video, so not only can it deliver the product, it can also actually drop off the product as well?

Masashi Aono – Yes, ’cause this robot can bend its attitude. So that we can drop the luggage in front of your door. Which makes it possible to deliver, you know, at last one more problem can be solved.

Philip English – Maybe, maybe. So what sort of price range are you thinking that this robot’s gonna be?

Masashi Aono – We are thinking about a price so that you know not only the company but also consumer can use this.

Philip English – Consumer can use it.

Masashi Aono – And we haven’t yet decided the price, but yeah.

Philip English – Okay, and then to do with the scanners. I can see you got a Lidar scanner, you’ve got a 3D camera?

Masashi Aono – Yeah.

Philip English – Right at the front.

Masashi Aono – So this we are developing the automated driving. So that with just, it simply need to give this robot the destination and it can autonomously deliver.

Philip English – Go off from there.

Masashi Aono – Yes.

Philip English – Has it got WiFi connection and stuff like that so if you want it to speak to like a lift or something like that, it can go in a lift and call it?

Masashi Aono – Yeah, I think so yeah.

Philip English – Yeah, on that side. And I suppose obviously you showed me a picture earlier of the ideal dream is to have an inflatable unit or you know.

Masashi Aono – Yeah, yeah, yeah. So our ultimate goal is to create a robot with a airbags. Which is, you know, the softest and the lightest material to use for the robots yeah.

Philip English – Okay, and then the sort of max kilogram of weight that the robot can have?

Masashi Aono – At the moment six kilograms.

Philip English – Okay,

Masashi Aono – But if the user needs to have heavier load we can increase the payload of course.

Philip English – So could you increase the size of the robot, could you make a bigger version.

Masashi Aono – Of course, why not yeah.

Philip English – Maybe a smaller version as well?

Masashi Aono – Yeah, to climb up the stairs the length needs to meet certain criteria.

Philip English – To get to the basic stairs, yeah. So is this the smallest it can be for a stairs?

Masashi Aono – Exactly yes.

Philip English – Yeah, right, Okay, okay. Yeah again, it looks like a fantastic product, you know I really like the idea about it. What I’ll do then is I’ll put some links in so people can find out where to find you. And yeah, many thanks for the interview and all the info.

Masashi Aono – Thank you very much.

Philip English – Thank you very much, cool.

Amoeba Energy: https://en.amoebaenergy.com

Amoeba Energy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ENDT9UHo3HU

Philip English: https://philipenglish.com

Sponsor – Robot Center: https://www.robotcenter.co.uk