Bizarre robotic chair concept looks like a crab and can carry you around the house – it can even help you get into your car
A robot chair unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 can navigate complex environments on its four articulated legs.
Although the chair is still a prototype, it aims to allow users with reduced mobility to climb stairs or other obstacles that would be impassable with traditional wheelchairs. It is also capable of lifting the user so they can access cars and other raised vehicles or platforms.
Look on it
The legs are completely independent, each bending, lifting or folding for easy maneuverability. When not in use, the legs can also fold neatly underneath the robot, allowing it to be stored in a car or luggage for easy transport. The system can also deploy and stabilize without user assistance.
Described as an “autonomous wheelchair,” the robot comes with a number of features that allow it to navigate difficult terrain by mimicking the movement of four-legged animals like crabs. These include LiDAR systems that use laser light to measure distances and create highly accurate and detailed three-dimensional representations of objects and environments, which the robot uses to avoid obstacles or deal with uneven surfaces.
When climbing stairs, the unit first tests the height with its front legs before pushing upward with its rear legs. There are also integrated collision sensors to avoid contact with people or objects.
Additionally, the Walk Me has built-in weight sensors to ensure the user remains in a stable seated position. Toyota engineers studied how people naturally climb stairs and how they distribute their weight when going around or over obstacles. If the robot detects an imbalance, it can adjust its two legs as well as the tilt of the seat itself to ensure user comfort and safety.
There are also a number of manual control options. Handles are attached to the seat and allow the user to guide the direction of the robot. Alternatively, a digital interface provides specific buttons to control locomotion precisely. The Walk Me will also respond to voice commands that include preset destinations like “living room” and speed commands like “slower” or “faster.”
The unit is powered by a battery hidden behind the seat, which can power it for a full day of operation. The battery is charged by plugging it into a standard wall outlet overnight.
The Walk Me was part of a wider product range presented by Toyota at the Tokyo Mobility Show, which also included a autonomous and self-driving car for children and a “Wheelchair Land Cruiser” featuring heavy-duty all-terrain tires and a durable frame. According to Higher speedthe wheelchair was inspired by Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, who, at 69, wants to be able to “drift, do donuts and race off-road until he retires.”
