Segway by Honda • Hacker News Board

Re: Segway by Honda

#11

Post by JoeAltmaier » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:06 PM UTC

Looks like you have to stoop forward constantly to stay in motion. Not useful as a vehicle, not even for a short while.

Maybe useful as an office-chair replacement?

Re: Segway by Honda

#12

Post by foomarks » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:07 PM UTC

shin_lao wrote: post #9

I see this and I think about the fat people in Wall-E. What's wrong with using your legs?

I think Honda and Toyota are designing these devices for their growing elderly population in Japan.

Re: Segway by Honda

#13

Post by jvdh » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:13 PM UTC

Like Paul Graham said in July 2009[1] The trouble with the Segway is that it makes you look smug. This thing will make you look even more so.

[1]: http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html

Re: Segway by Honda

#14

Post by DannoHung » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:13 PM UTC

Stupid for humans, maybe, but that'd be a cool mobility platform for robots.

Re: Segway by Honda

#15

Post by albertcardona » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC

All examples of use are indoors. Rough outdoor floors may prove too much. In any case an impressive device.

Re: Segway by Honda

#16

Post by metachris » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:19 PM UTC

jvdh wrote: post #13

Like Paul Graham said in July 2009[1] The trouble with the Segway is that it makes you look smug. This thing will make you look even more so. [1]: http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html

i guess that's why such technologies take a while to get broadly adopted. i think in 10 or 20 years almost everybody might use those, and segway will look kinda old-school.

Re: Segway by Honda

#17

Post by daveyb100 » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:24 PM UTC

I'd love to see the off-road version!

Re: Segway by Honda

#18

Post by shin_lao » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:31 PM UTC

foomarks wrote: post #12

shin_lao wrote: post #9

I see this and I think about the fat people in Wall-E. What's wrong with using your legs?

I think Honda and Toyota are designing these devices for their growing elderly population in Japan.

Does it look like a device convenient to use for an elder or someone disabled?

Re: Segway by Honda

#19

Post by dieterrams » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:32 PM UTC

jvdh wrote: post #13

Like Paul Graham said in July 2009[1] The trouble with the Segway is that it makes you look smug. This thing will make you look even more so. [1]: http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html

Really? I think it makes you look less smug. It doesn't make you effectively taller the way Segway does, and sitting is a more casual position.

I think the people in this video look smug, for various reasons unrelated to the U3-X itself.

Re: Segway by Honda

#20

Post by SandB0x » Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 1:33 PM UTC

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #11

Looks like you have to stoop forward constantly to stay in motion. Not useful as a vehicle, not even for a short while. Maybe useful as an office-chair replacement?

But this is kind of what you do when you walk. Walking is effectively controlled falling.

People moving on this device are probably just thinking "move forward" rather than "lean forward", in the same way as we turn left or right by (subconsciously) leaning slightly on a bicycle.