11th November 2025 Toyota reveals "Walk Me" walking chair Toyota's new "Walk Me" robot aims to help those with disabilities navigate ramps and stairs using legs instead of wheels. The concept hints at a more inclusive future for personal mobility.
At the recent Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo, Toyota unveiled Walk Me, a four-legged mobility chair designed to move seamlessly indoors and outdoors without worry about steps or uneven ground. The quadruped frame allows it to climb stairs and cross rough surfaces, all while keeping the user level and stable. Its legs fold neatly beneath the seat for storage, making it compact enough to carry in a car or tuck away between uses. Toyota has not yet shared detailed specifications, but early demonstrations show a self-balancing mechanism and sensors that help it map its surroundings and avoid obstacles. Simple joystick or voice controls appear likely, suggesting that future versions could operate semi-autonomously. The design places emphasis on comfort and personal safety, aiming to make short trips or household movements easier and smoother for people with reduced mobility.
Unlike earlier robots that relied on manual step programming, Walk Me is trained in about 10,000 simulated runs and then applies what it has learned to move smoothly in the real world. "It allows you to move freely in tight indoor spaces where it would be difficult to turn in a wheelchair," said Misako Kawata and Takashi Nishimura from Toyota's Advanced Design Development Department, in a joint statement. "It can also climb steps, so you can go up the stairs to the second floor while sitting, or get into a car outside. It is truly a mobility device that eliminates barriers. In the future, we aim to create a world where you can jump into and connect with other mobility devices using voice commands to freely go wherever you want." "We developed this with the wish to make every 'I want to go' come true," said Takuya Watanabe, a senior engineer at Toyota. "The name 'me' comes from the idea of infinitely expanding one's own possibilities. We unified the design with a lively, sporty yellow. It expresses freedom and dynamism for everyone. It's still a prototype, but we'll continue to evolve it further." Walk Me stood alongside other accessibility concepts in Toyota's exhibition space, reflecting the company's broader vision of 'mobility for all.' While still a concept, it highlights how robotics, AI, and human-centred design could transform the way people move through homes, streets, and cities. If innovations like this continue to evolve, the barriers between the able-bodied and the mobility-impaired may keep shrinking – one careful step at a time.
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