Honda shows small light 'personal mobility' device

[madmom]

By Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer
TOKYO — Honda's new "personal mobility" device looks like a unicycle, but all you need to do to zip around on it — sideways as well as forward and back — is lean your weight into the direction you want to go.

The U3-X — available for a test-run for reporters in Tokyo on Thursday — was designed to be small, safe and unobtrusive enough to mingle with pedestrians, according to Honda Motor.

The single wheel on the U3-X — U stands for "unicycle" and "universal" — is made up of many tiny motor-controlled wheels, packed inside the bigger wheel, allowing the device to swerve in any direction.

It stands upright on its own. Sit on it as though it's a stool, and shift your weight to drive. The thing maintains its own balance as it scoots along at a speed of up to 3.7 miles per hour.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-09-24-honda-mobility_N.htm


picture at link

[tridim]

1. I still think roller skates should make a comeback.

Uhhh.. no thanks. :rofl:

[Ian David]

2. Seen these before...

[tridim]

6. Yea. hehe. I think these devices are nifty as far as the tech goes..

But the form factors are just completely wrong.

There is nothing ergonomic about a unicycle, I used to have one and my balls agree.

[wuushew]

3. I've seen worse

[Warpy]

4. This is how the Segway should have been thought out

It's good for handicapped people with good balance because they can sit instead of stressing bad joints. It's exactly the right speed for sidewalk or other pedestrian traffic, unlike the Segway which was too fast for the sidewalk and too slow for the street.

Unfortunately, they need to figure out how people are going to lug sacks of groceries or gear for the office on it, but one imagines riders could easily compensate for the weight by leaning slightly in the opposite direction.

Still, this one might actually sell.

[Posteritatis]

5. And it'll be banned everywhere within a year. (nt)