That's actually a pretty cool wheel design.
Segway by Honda
31–40 of 64 posts
Re: Segway by Honda
#32Um...Wow.
Aside from Mr. Garrison's gyro-thingie ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Entity_%28South_Park%29 ), that's the most emasculating mode of travel I've ever seen.
Re: Segway by Honda
#33I see this and I think about the fat people in Wall-E. What's wrong with using your legs?
I think honda is targeting old people and using young people to demo how it works.
PS: If your legs actually work then clearly you should be using these 24/7.
Re: Segway by Honda
#34There is also this device:
Re: Segway by Honda
#35I'm not particularly impressed by the chair (references to both pg's Segway essay and the fat people in Wall.E come to mind), but I'm very interested in the omniwheel technology. Imagine a wheelchair with one omnidirectional wheel instead of four. That'd make a world of difference for disabled people!
They didn't invent the omni wheel, been around for a while.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omni_wheel
I'm sure Honda tuned it up a bit though.
Also, there have been some wheelchairs made with omni-directional wheels, although I'm not sure if they are only a prototypes.
Re: Segway by Honda
#36Like 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
Part of why the Segway makes you look smug is because you're standing up.
This thing has you sitting down so its ok... Closer to other riding vehicles
Re: Segway by Honda
#37A part of me thinks that Honda has solved the problem of walking. Something evolution solved a long time ago. The evolved solution also allows us to go up steps! While it's cool it seems like there is a long way to go before it's useful/cost effective. None of the above undermines the technology btw, just the application.
Another thing about this particular execution is that it is still not cool. It's even worse than the conventional segway: you necessarily sit shorter than everyone around you which will make an impact. We as a species favor tall individuals on a subconscious level (think of US presidents). Whatever alternate mode of locomotion is to be created, it needs to be cool. Think jetpacks.
I actually think that it's better than the Segway for making you slightly shorter. One of the problems with the Segway is that the increased height (and width) makes you so conspicuous as to practically be flaunting your use of it, and how independent you are from the lowly ambulating masses.
Whereas someone riding a Vespa can still come off as cool. (Though they'll immediately look silly next to someone on a Harley.)
Re: Segway by Honda
#38They will need vastly more rugged versions for your average American. I say this being from Texas.
Re: Segway by Honda
#39I see this and I think about the fat people in Wall-E. What's wrong with using your legs?
Funny, I saw it and thought fat people in wal-mart. This could revolutionize the electric shopping cart industry, much as the segway turned the airport police patrol and guided tour sectors on their ears almost a decade agoe.
Re: Segway by Honda
#40They haven't learn anything from Segway, you look utterly ridiculous riding one of those things (even worse than someone riding a Segway).