MÜV

Introduction

I recently visited a warehouse and noticed a man working while standing on a Segway. Aesthetically, it looked dorky and unappealing. It was clunky and could not slip comfortably through tight corridors. Combined with the nature of their job, warehouse employees further noted that riding the vehicle was tiresome on the legs due to the prolonged standing position. I decided to explore a solution.

Process

Primary goals were improved safety, comfort, aesthetics & maneuverability. Additional details such as range, affordability and overall user-friendliness were also important factors that had to be considered. To help center the design, a product vision was developed:

“To evolve the way people move by spreading joy and ease of movement” ​​​​​​

Market research of competitors and available technologies were explored to help develop early sketches. Understanding where this vehicle fits in the market, alongside the typical engineering systems inside these vehicles gives us a strong starting point to develop accurate, honest industrial design solutions; forms that can be realistically achieved while satisfying the goals. Once creative designs are roughly sketched and reviewed, I modeled the design I found most promising in CAD. CAD helps to keep my design true to proportions. Rough renders are then developed and reviewed for presentation. 

Familiar, Yet New

The MÜV is designed with a traditional chair-like form to remain familiar to new users but is discretely equipped with highly sophisticated tech. Engineered using the latest robotics self-balancing technologies, the MÜV gives the rider an intuitive and exciting navigational control scheme. It's made of two major housing casings; both made of polyamid (nylon) reinforced with fibre-glass and each injection-moulded in one single operation. A two-tone colour scheme creates a minimalist, yet striking design. The front panel is full depth coloured semi-matte obsidian black to convey a sense of utilitarian ruggedness yet remaining sporty and modern. Complemented by a sleek titanium painted finish back panel, the MÜV looks sturdy, robust and reliable.

One Ball, Any Direction

The MÜV moves using a spherical drive system which grants riders true omnidirectional maneuverable capabilities. Tilt, lean or twist in any direction and the MÜV gently rolls/rotates accurately to the rider's intention. The design is ergonomic and safe; foot rests are available while cruising and adequate clearance around the user's legs is available for emergency stops. Sensors and advanced control algorithms take note of every physical rotation/translatory intention made by the rider to ensure a safe and effortless ride.

Perfectly Balanced, Clear

The MÜV is designed with the user in mind. The center of gravity remains low, providing great stability while improving control. Ground clearance is sufficient for tight turns and obstacle avoidance during daily joy rides. To reduce bulkiness, the interior dead space is minimized by organizing printed circuit boards, fans, filters and motors tightly together. 

Rechargeable, Convenient

The lithium ion battery pack is placed at the front for optimized cooling, proximity to the charging pad, lowered center of gravity and convenience. It can be easily swapped for a full battery or kept attached and recharged on-board by tilting the wireless charging pad on a MÜV charging dock. The MÜV's battery level is indicated by 7 white LED along the front neck of the MÜV. 

For Work & Play

Besides its primary use on flat warehouse environments, the MÜV can be adapted to life in the home and short trips around the neighborhood. Its overall design elements and functional technologies give it freedom to operate in more dynamic environments.