Nintendo's made it clear for many months that it is still looking at ways to expand its business outside of video games. We haven't seen any recent firm updates on the 'Quality of Life' initiative, but it seems the company is exploring options to produce products with potential medical or scientific uses.
In May the company filed a patent application (published this week) for a 'passive walking device' - in other words robotic legs that can sustain themselves. Below is the English description which says, in technical jargon, that they're functioning walking legs.
The passive walking device (100) according to an embodiment is provided with a hip section (1), a first leg (21), a second leg (22), and a crank mechanism (3) comprising a first leg crank part (31), a second leg crank part (34), a crank shaft (33), a first leg connecting section (32), and a second leg connecting section (35). When the first leg (21) contacts a walking surface (GR) and moves from front to back relative to the hip section (1): the first leg connecting section (32) rotates the first leg crank part (31); the first leg crank part (31) rotates the second leg crank part (34) via the crank shaft (33); and the second leg crank part (34) moves the second leg (22) from the back to the front relative to the hip section (1) via the second leg connecting section (35).
Though some have jokingly referred to potential gaming applications for this, in reality it's technology that is expensive but potentially valuable in medical and robotic fields. It's not a new concept, but it's fascinating that Nintendo is interested enough in this area that it's produced a patent application.
It'll be intriguing to see if anything comes from this - just don't expect it to lead to LEGS on the New Nintendo Switch XL.
[source resetera.com]
Comments 35
Finally, R.O.B. can move without wheels!
It's obviously for a future iteration of Switch that can run away and play with itself (and we silly mortals thought that the vanilla Switch was versatile).
Now it's playing with power!™
Nintendo's evergreen titles will now have even longer legs.
It's a trap! Anyone who dares refuse the Big N will be destroyed!
My question isn't why are they making this. My question is when are they gonna release it? What happened to the QoL initiative they took a few years back? Will it release? What are these products? When will we get to see them?
RETURN OF PROJECT GIANT ROBOT!
Very interesting! Also, nintendo is mad, lol.
@Yasaal I'm with you there. It'd be kinda cool if Nintendo can innovate in other parts of our lives outside of gaming. I feel like there was some sort of sleep monitoring device or something mentioned once, which is an area that's pretty interesting to research and would be cool to see Nintendo's take on the area.
New Nintendo Switch XL confirmed though, right @NintendoLife? 😉
Omg...
LEGS ??
Maybe they're making an Attack on Titan area in their theme park?
Maybe some kind of programmable toy to teach kids 'coding' since that's a fad at the moment (don't say programming, you have to say coding because that's what cool kids call it now, right?).
VR legs, instead of using a pad to move we will have legs (made in China)
Maybe Switch 2 is more of a classic home console, but the system + TV can walk in front of you, so you are still mobile!
Could, mount a big enough battery as well.
A weapon to surpass Metal Gear
Can't wait to see the QWOP factor in these.
These are for Snoke.
Is Nintendo making a mech?
This appears to be a complex linkage, like Theo Jansen's Strandbeest (https://youtu.be/azy-c6QXUCw). Those he brute forced on an atari ST a while ago. Amanda Ghassaei worked on it in Mathlab. Those linkages don't resemble feet though. Maybe Nintendo will skip AR (been there, done that) and give "toya to life" a whole new meaning...
Out of all companies... I would least expect Nintendo to be working on mechanical legs haha
@Spaniard lol why?
Nintendo,Innovating Science and soon we will have the walking Mario legs where you can jump as high as Mario Jump Super Star! XD
@Danpal65 I remember that as well but the rumor mill had it that the project was dropped, Nintendo never confirmed anything after that.
Its a pedometre device which connects wirelessly to your switch, you use your switch to count the steps
NVidia use the Tegra2 for Artificial Intelligence in cars. Nintendo are planning robots?
Because, Nintendo
Is it to kick Sony and MS in the b... ?
I love the Power Legs. They're so bad.
(reads the subtitle) LEGS?
Something like the Hands Free NES controller I presume?
Confirmed: Nintendo is building an actual Metal Gear.
Anybody remember the Game Boy accessory that had the ability to sedate kids who were about to have surgery? It was never released, as far as I know, but it was patented.
That was Nintendo's earliest (as far as I'm aware) QOL program before they even started this whole campaign.
Seems like a possible addition to their theme park.
@Yasaal I think pokemon go is a part of it, finding ways to get games to make you walk
Kinda makes me think of the Pokewalker that came with HGSS. Totally different, but I really liked that thing.
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