Honda U3-X Personal Mobility Prototype

[Dick Linn]

I hadn't seen this before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuIJRsAuCHQ

[billbo911]

As amazing and cool as this is, there is something about it that bothers me. For those with mobility problems, this could be a fantastic solution. For those that have "normal" mobility, this removes way too much exercise from the daily routine.

It's odd, for some reason I just don't see it in the same light as the Segway. True, both provide personal mobility, but the U3-X just seems to be too small and slow to add that much benefit.

Don't get me wrong, I see tremendous potential in this design for future iterations, but this one just seems like a fun "toy". I'll bet it gives the user one heck of a good abdominal workout though.

[Alex Cormier]

I'd also like them to put all that R&D and money into making automobiles last longer and not have to spend so much money on them instead.

[JesseK]

All that has to happen is someone stubs their toe on the ground and BAM bruised Achilles and bloody nose ><. Irony is that the video shows the women with pointed shoes that are almost already dragging the ground.

Fantastic product innovation though; something tells me this will be more than a human transporter platform in the future.

[dtengineering]

Ever since we first used an omni wheel, I've been wondering... how could I drive those rollers?

Looks like Honda figured it out and (once they quiet the motors a bit) will have an awesome robotic locomotion system.

Not to mention an utterly cool way to get around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PENSEenxRQo

Jason

[TEE]

Cool, but it seems an awful lot like a rip-off of a segway...

[Matt Howard]

It's a cool exhibition of technology, but why not walk? My Chevrolegs have yet to fail me!

[EricDrost]

Dean Kamen has got some innovating to do.

[AcesJames]

I don't quite see this being useful. It seems easy enough to operate, but I would imagine that sitting down while moving like that would have to make the operation cumbersome. Obviously, this device would be for use in cities and on paved roads, where there could be a lot of foot traffic. I could foresee the rider easily being knocked off course by people shuffling around him.

[GaryVoshol]

I wanted to see them try to strafe over that grate in the sidewalk!

And there's just something wrong about folding them down, picking it up, and walking away.

[the man]

I was wondering the same thing about the mechanum wheels. I found out that they come as an option on indoor fork lifts. One of our mentors first saw them on mythbusters and thought they were cool and we ended up using them on our robot this year.

[BEEKMAN]

now put mechanums on a car!

[Enigma's puzzle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ETKfkhta8

[GaryVoshol]

Threads merged

[Matt Howard]

Originally Posted by BEEKMAN

now put mechanums on a car!

That's a scary thought.