Bombardier's Embrio: Sexier Segway?

Ridgelift writes "Articles at Wired News, Popular Science, and Forbes are covering Bombardier's Embrio. It's a single-wheeled, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, gyroscopically balanced concept vehicle. While the Segway tops out at 6 mph, the Embrio 'hits 35 mph in the learning mode alone.' Very cool -- looks like something straight out of 'Minority Report.'"

Hope the power supply lasts

[MacFury]

Crusing along on a Segway and having the thing die would be bad enough at 12mph. Speeding down the street at 35mph in this thing, only to have it's sensors bust would give you a serious case of road rash.

All the same I bet it's a fun ride.

from bombadier.com

[jbellis]

The Bombardier EMBRIO Advanced Concept is a one-wheeled recreational and commuting vehicle that promises a whole new experience on the road. Aimed at the 18 to 45 age group, this advanced concept prefigures the kind of user-friendly, minimalist vehicles we might be seeing - and using - on our urban, suburban and country roads in the year 2025.

I don't think they're planning on starting mass production any time soon, guys. :P

Stopping distance

[Camel Pilot]

I noticed no specs on stopping distance. Just from the physics of a unicycle wouldn't rapid stopping be a problem?

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Price...

[LordK3nn3th]

Aimed at the 18 to 45 age group

...but the only people who can afford it are wealthy old men with rollercoasters in the backyard and robotic butlers that answer the front door, I'm sure.

Re:from bombadier.com

[56ker]

Yep - the wired.com article agrees with you:-

"The company won't speculate as to when Embrio will hit the market -- if ever."

Fun design. What's the point?

[Anonymous Coward]

The design is really, really cool. But other than that, I don't really see the advantage of this. It seems to give no advantage compared to a normal bike, and has quite a few disadvantages (less space, more complexity). Throwing in a fuel cell-based drivetrain could just as easily (if not easier) be done for a two-wheeled bike as well - and would incidentally be a pretty good idea (with the electric motors in the wheels, you would get rid of the chain, and could have practical two-wheel drive).

Hehe...

[Bob Vila's Hammer]

I love dupes, you get the opportunity to use other people's comments to achieve mod point heaven.

Jerk store Jerry, Jerk store! Jerk store!!!

One essential bit...

[Anonymous Coward]

From the article: The vehicle is designed as a guess at what transportation in the year 2025 might look like.

This might be pretty darn accurate. The thing that sets this apart from the Segway is one crucial element: Speed. If a Segway malfunctions you're not going wery fast... but with a vehicle like this you're pretty much doomed if there is a serious malfunction. At the very least the car behind you will run you over.

Current vehicles like cars and motorcycles can be stopped safely if you run out of power/propulsion, but something like this has to have safeguards which keeps that from happening.

Back to the whole 2025 thing: In order to make this stuff safe it requires testing, testing and some more testing. An that requires time.

Don't get me wrong... I love the idea, but it has to be done correctly and without compromises.

Re:Stopping distance

[stmfreak]

I imagine the acceleration and deceleration are limited by the gyroscope's mass and reactiveness.

As a regular motorcyclist, I'd like to think that high-delta-v isn't required for commuting because 99% of the time I don't use it. But I would never give up the potential of a solid braking system with a large cantilevered countermass. There have been moments when it was the difference between life and pain.

Even so, this would be a super cool toy. I hear Bombardier is quite good at making those.

Re:dupe?

[WIAKywbfatw]

You'd think the editors could actually search their own archives for the word [slashdot.org] "Bombardier" [slashdot.org] or "Embrio" [slashdot.org], wouldn't you?

Is it really that hard to do?

Jeez, you could write up a script in five minutes that would search a story for company and product names (hint: look for capitalisation) and check to see what other related stories there have been recently. Flag those for the editor to briefly glimpse over before hitting the "approved" button and you've saved yourself 99 percent of dupes.

Again, is it really that hard to do?

Re:Stopping distance

[Anonymous Coward]

Or, would they have a stopping distance 90 degrees out of phase with the forward direction?

Re:Stopping distance

[vrt3]

It's more like doing a wheelie and braking on the back wheel, without allowing the front wheel to touch the ground.

Re:dupe?

[stud9920]

You'd think the editors could actually search their own archives[...], wouldn't you?

You'd think ANYONE could actually search slashdot archives, wouldn't you ? Have you seen their crappy search engine ?

the only reason /. readers notice dupes, is because they READ /.

Re:Stopping distance

[at_18]

In reference to your bike (btw the link was broken) imagine if you had to brake with only the front tire!

You MUST use the front tire brake if you want to stop in any sensible way. Using only the rear one is a recipe for disaster, on bikes and bicycles.

Re:Stopping distance

[djupedal]

The reference is for a 'four point static', not 'system'. The optimal system is described as a tricycle, which is the Embrio at low speeds.

Stopping with the front brake (link is fine for me), is routine...no one with any sense uses the rear at all. We've all heard of 'wheelies'...ever seen a 'stoppie' [verticalmischief.com]. No problem up on one wheel.

Physics says you can't exceed 200mph in the quarter mile, where we know that 300 is exceeded with abandon. Those same physics will fall to the wayside when the Embryo hits the road.

Re:Stopping distance

[Avihson]

Motorcycle stunt drivers are a lot different than the day to day commuter.

Every day, in every major city, someone fails to stop their 4 wheel car when all 4 wheels are in contact with the pavement. Blind faith in computerized ABS seems to have made matters worse. In my experience, a large number of the tailgating drivers rely on the ABS instead of good judgement to prevent 'accidents.'

Good engineering falls to the wayside when confronted by mass stupidity and apathy.

I'll keep my Vespa for now

[AssFace]

I live in Bermuda where getting around by scooter is a very common thing - as opposed to say Boston or Denver in the U.S.
My Vespa with gas and carrying my laptop and rain gear is around 300lbs. That is lighter than the single wheeled beast in this article. My Vespa ET4 is 125cc and can go much faster than 36mph (although there isn't much need for it since the speed limit here is 35kmph and I personally never go over around 50kmph - occasionally 60, but that is considered dangerous here).
Vespa claims that it gets 46mpg, but I have seen it doing better than that, which is good since our gas is well over $5 per gallon.

I would be interested in seeing the price on that singled wheeled unit and trying it out compared to my Vespa - but I would imagine that it can't hold much of anything and is largely a gimmick.

Re:Stopping distance

[djupedal]

The first people to drive motorcycles were considered stunt drivers, and were actually sedate compared to today's two-wheeled commuter. Stunters today are simply an indication of what can be done...where that goes is usually beyond our feeble imaginations.

The first time ABS and airbags save your life, or the life of someone you love, you'll be less jaded about technology and other drivers.

Re:dupe?

[Moofie]

Why would the Embrio be superior to a motorcycle? It's less stable and less safe. Where's the win?

Why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Seeing how a small capacity motorcycle, like those Honda C90s go faster, offer more flexibility, and well over 100 mpg, what's the point? It's not like you can really use these silly personal transport thingies in the tight spaces their compact designs are made for without running over someone. They seem to fit in that world of maybe too far to walk, but not really far enough to justify a vehicle. Hell, I'll stick to my feet in that case!