The robot features a hybrid wheeled-legged design. It can move on wheels across flat surfaces and switch to legged mode to climb stairs, allowing it to navigate both up and down steps. It also operates with low noise to avoid interfering with users’ ability to identify their surroundings through sound, the company told the Global Times on Saturday.
Xiaoyuan can detect overhead obstacles such as low-hanging branches and scaffolding, which can be difficult for conventional white canes to detect. It can identify such hazards in advance and automatically slow down or detour around them, the company said.
It is claimed the robot has an indoor obstacle-avoidance success rate of at least 99 percent and an outdoor success rate of at least 96 percent, while its outdoor positioning error is controlled within 30 centimeters. Its functions include route navigation, voice interaction, as well as companionship and reminders. In emergencies, users can also initiate an alert and request assistance from volunteers remotely.
Designed to resemble a guide dog, Xiaoyuan is intended to match users’ normal walking habits in terms of its walking rhythm and leash-based control.
The company operate under the Zhiyuan Research Institute, which is an entity affiliated with the China North Industries Group (Norinco), the country’s largest defense contractor. This project highlights a growing push by defense-affiliated research institutions to adapt advanced military robotics and navigation tech for civilian accessibility solutions.
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