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Good and bad, computer chair version and some beer (Score:5, Insightful)
Lets be happy that we're probably the last generation that can watch how the beautiful girls walk on street in their red dresses and nice legs and ass. Sooner or later this will be reality, in a bad and a good way. While convenience is nice, it has bad sides too.
That being said, I would so use this. Can I get a comfortable computer chair version too, so I can get a beer easily (and one of those japanese beer serving machines [youtube.com] please )
Re:Good and bad, computer chair version and some b (Score:5, Interesting)
Second thought was that it will work some muscles that aren't normally used.. with all that leaning moving and stuff...
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Re: (Score:2)
I was thinking more along the lines of tarted-up unicycle, which just makes me want a real (oldschool) unicycle. Damn you, Slashdot!
Yes, but where is the "RISK OF DEATH" label? (Score:4, Informative)
Except, with the Honda vehicle, if there is a failure in the computer system, you die. But we Slashdot readers know that computer failures hardly ever happen, right?
Segways made me appreciate bicycles. If you hit something large, like a rock, it's possible you will be carried over it. Bicycles have no computer system to fail, and they are inexpensive.
I rode a Segway. It had a RISK OF DEATH [flickr.com] (all caps) label.
My experience of that article about Honda is that it says to me, "Buy a Toyota. That company concentrates on doing one thing well." I recently bought a Toyota because Consumer Reports said Hondas had automatic transmission problems.
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Re:Yes, but where is the "RISK OF DEATH" label? (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:Yes, but where is the "RISK OF DEATH" label? (Score:5, Insightful)
If the bicycle were invented today, it would come with that label. We live in a society that is increasingly litigious and risk-averse. These both apply more for newer and higher-tech things - more so for commercial airplanes than cars, in spite of their relative risks.
People don't usually die in {bicycle,Segway,Honda thing} crashes, but they do sometimes, and for a new device, that's enough that its creators usually fear lawsuits without that label. These things might be a bit silly and overpriced, but they're not dangerous no matter what the stupid sticker says.
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Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Yes, but where is the "RISK OF DEATH" label? (Score:4, Insightful)
Regulations force a climate of CYA to the point of crying wolf all day every day. A vehicle that travels at 3.7 miles an hour IS NOT DANGEROUS. AT ALL.
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Re:Yes, but where is the "RISK OF DEATH" label? (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Good and bad, computer chair version and some b (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Lets be happy that we're probably the last generation that can watch how the beautiful girls walk on street in their red dresses and nice legs and ass.
"Probably"? Bicycles, roller blades, cars, and segways have failed to prevent this sight from occurring.
Re:Good and bad, computer chair version and some b (Score:4, Funny)
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Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Bicycles and roller blades give you a work out. Cars *have* contributed to the obesity epidemic. Obesity is inversely related to the availability of sidewalks in an area. Segways are too dorky to become popular enough to make a difference.
Re:Good and bad, computer chair version and some b (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't worry, I'm sure that when horses were first tamed someone bemoaned the loss of walking. I imagine the same thing happened when the carriage was invented, and the bicycle, and the automobile. Pretty girls will still walk, and when they don't they usually get fat, anyway.
Nothing to worry about in that respect.
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Re:Good and bad, computer chair version and some b (Score:5, Insightful)
The girls who need to ride something around instead of walking reasonable distances don't stay beautiful for long.
Now, there's nothing quite like pretty girls in skirts riding bicycles.
Parent
Obesity rates? (Score:3, Informative)
Since bone-skinny has become synonym for sexy, healthy and so on, it's become hard to even FIND women with boobs or asses AT ALL.
You must not live in the US because we have female obesity rates above 30% [wikipedia.org].
My review (Score:5, Funny)
No handlebars. Less speed than a Segway. Lame.
Not cool enough (Score:5, Interesting)
Until I get this [gearbits.com] I'm not satisfied.
Re: (Score:2)
I always keep wondering this. How the hell do you keep balance with just one wheel?
Re: (Score:2)
Gyros, computers, and magic. Last one optional.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".
Re:Not cool enough (Score:5, Informative)
The real answer is that side to side balance is maintained by precession, (like on a bicycle) combined with some additional balancing by shifting body weight (also critical on a bike). Unlike on a bike, steering based corrections to balance are not present. With sufficiently wide wheel unicycles, wheel geometry becomes the primary side to side stabilzing method.
Steering is completely based on leaning in normal unicycles. Normal bicycles also include an additional steering component (the additional wheel that turns).
Forward and backwards balance is maintained by a combination of of creating a mental feedback loop that causes one to vary cycling speed as necessary to keep the seat roughly upright, along with manually shifting weight forwards and backwards.
For electronic unicycles, steering and side to side balance generally are the same as with manual ones. However the forward and backwards stability does not rely on any weight shifting on the part of the rider, but solely on varying the motor speed as needed to keep the seat upright.
Using a feedback system for keeping the seat upright automatically gives the segway-style speed control on these devices. In order to do more traditional style speed controls requires a more complicated system that varies the angle of the seat that the system tries to maintain as necessary such that the average speed remains as desired. Far more complicated, and not needed, so I've not seen any e-unicycle that does not use segway-style speed control.
There are some tricks that allow steering not based on leaning, and some of the e-unicycle designs I have seen use those, but others use lean based steering which works fine, except for at near stationary speeds, but some of these other systems allow for a smaller turning radius.
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Just what America needs! (Score:3, Insightful)
I'll call it: a bicycle.
Re:Just what America needs! (Score:5, Funny)
Bicycles are far too hard on the environment. You have to mine the iron and aluminum ore and burn coal to process it. That not even counting the (imported) petroleum in the great grease, vulcanized rubber in the wheels, and poly-something-or-other foam in the seat.
Go for the original in environmentally friendly transportation - horses! And when your old model wears out, you can recycle it into glue and dog food!
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3.7 MPH?! (Score:3, Informative)
That's it? Come on, we can walk faster than that!
Re:3.7 MPH?! (Score:5, Funny)
Somehow, I am thinking that the people who would use this would not be capable of walking faster.
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sounds familiar (Score:4, Funny)
Sup dawg, we heard you like unicycling so we put some wheels in your wheel so you can unicycle while you unicycle
Re:sounds familiar (Score:5, Interesting)
The single wheel on the U3-X is made up of many tiny motor-controlled wheels, packed inside the bigger wheel, allowing the device to swerve in any direction.
A wheel made of up of smaller wheels [omniwheel.com] is one of the classic bad ideas of robotics. Back in the 1980s, when robot motion planning software barely worked, many mobile robots were "holonomic" or "omni-drive": they could move in any direction without turning first. One of the popular geometries was three big wheels on axes 120 degrees apart [com.com] (that robot is in a display case in the lobby of the computer science building at Stanford), with each big wheel composed of little wheels around the rim. This mechanism can execute any rotation or translation.
The problem is that the little wheels only work on hard, flat terrain. Shag rugs are a problem. Grass, dirt, and mud, no way.
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self-filtering user group (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're intrepid enough to sit on a motorized unicycle, automated stabilizers aside, you're very likely able and willing to walk 4mph. So, it's no surprise they don't plan on bringing it to market.
However, nice proof of concept as a base for robots.
Re: (Score:2)
Reminds me of the jetsons
No Thanks (Score:3, Funny)
I think I'll just go back to riding around town on my goat. He's much faster.
Been done already... (Score:5, Interesting)
This place: http://focusdesigns.com/ [focusdesigns.com] has a working version that you can buy today, apparently. It's also more than twice as fast at 10 MPH.
Actually, a lot of people have done this before. Just google "self balancing unicycle" or "powered unicycle".
Re:Been done already... (Score:4, Insightful)
That's hardly the same thing, although it may fit the description in the summary. If you watch the video, you'll see that the Honda vehicle allows the rider to glide around in any direction, kind of like a wheeled stool; the unicycle you're linking to only moves in one dimension (forward or back). It also doesn't maintain left/right balance at all.
It should go without saying that these three self-balancing vehicles—the Segway, the Honda vehicle, and your unicycle—are designed with significantly different applications in mind, despite sharing some similar technology. The Honda vehicle seems best-suited for maneuvering indoors, not as a replacement for your car/bike.
Parent
Neat (Score:2, Insightful)
Something like this would be very useful for people with mild to moderate mobility problems (e.g. the elderly, people with neurological disorders, people recovering from an injury). It would be perfectly fine for moving around a home, hospital, grocery store, etc. In these kinds of environments, 3.4 mph is a perfectly good speed.
Nice design (Score:3, Funny)
So they saw the South Park [damianm.com] version and thought, "Not gay enough. Make the whole thing a penis." And then decided it was too gay and popped a whole through the side to insubstantially reduce the wang-iness.
first thought when i saw this was... (Score:2)
heinlein and his tumblebugs in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll [wikipedia.org]
stepping stone (Score:5, Interesting)
Proper response to Segway: (Score:3, Insightful)
*point and laugh*
Seriously, though. Years late and... conspicuously not needed?
The way this works is cool. (Score:5, Insightful)
While in general this thing is completely pointless, the way the wheel itself works is really cool. It's composed of cylinders which form the ring for the main wheel but allow sideways movement. Leave it up to the Japanese to dream up the most useless application for advanced technology, but it's cool that they're exploring unconventional concepts.
Unicycles - quite a good urban vehicle (Score:5, Interesting)
I commuted to work by unicycle for several years and have done hundreds of miles in total. Modern unicycles have come a long way from the old days of a circus exhibit. There are lot of people who ride very long distances on them. A unicycle won't suit most people for commuting but it actually has more plus points than you'd think ...
* Lighter weight than a bike, relatively easy to pick up and carry, or wheel along.
* Takes less space than a bike to store indoors.
* Cheaper than a bike of equivalent quality.
* Once you're skilled you can "idle" on the spot (or just hop occasionally to shift the thing back under your centre of mass) so you may not have to put a foot down when waiting in traffic or at lights.
* Potentially very mechanically simple.
* Good exercise, including for your core muscles due to the postural component of keeping balanced.
It's also a good attention grabber, if you like that sort of thing. I've observed that a lot of geeks, particularly computer geeks, seem to like unicycling. My guess is that this is because, relative to a bike, it requires a high degree of mental engagement but in a non-intellectual way. So you get to exercise your brain but in a way which distracts you from the pressures of logical thought processes.
There are some commuting unicycles here:
http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1&subcat=7&cat=Commuter [unicycle.com]
Note that handlebars are available, which allows experienced riders to take some weight of their "bits". Combined with modern saddles, a unicycle is a lot less punishing to your nether regions than you'd expect, though you obviously still need to take care!
Finally, at the high end of the price range, there are unicycles with the Schlumpf (and Kris Holm-Schlumpf) hub-based gearing system. No exposed gearing but you can get something like a 1.5:1 increase in gear ratio, allowing you go go much faster whilst still having the wheel be small and light. In some ways I'd think this would be the best urban commuting unicycle for experienced riders.
There are clear disadvantages to a unicycle to but I figure some folks here might be interested anyhow. Because an unpowered unicycle has made such a good commuting vehicle for me I wouldn't be surprised if an electrical one is actually more practical than you'd expect.
[if anyone wants to find out more, the rec.sport.unicycling newsground, also available as a forum http://unicyclist.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3 [unicyclist.com] will be able to answer your questions or you can just reply to me here - it's arguably even on topic!]
Re:Unicycles - quite a good urban vehicle (Score:5, Funny)
"it requires a high degree of mental engagement but in a non-intellectual way."
BING!
"What is Slashdot?"
"Correct"
"I'll take Geek wannabes for 1000, Alex.."
Parent
Correct me if I'm wrong... (Score:3, Insightful)
FTA: The single wheel on the U3-X is made up of many tiny motor-controlled wheels, packed inside the bigger wheel, allowing the device to swerve in any direction.
Unicycle [wikipedia.org]: A unicycle is a one-wheeled human-powered vehicle.
FInally! (Score:5, Funny)
Something I can sit on while using my treadmill~
Not a new thing (Score:3, Informative)
Amazing that Honda with its vast R&D and engineering resources is now able to produce something that one guy as a hobby built designed and built for himself years ago. Gosh, I'm really impressed. I'll have my broker buy me some Honda stock immediately.
Seat design (possible perennial damage) (Score:3, Informative)
As a long-term cyclist (specifically bicyclist, for you rice rocket fans out there), I see the design of this product as a great mistake. And before anyone comments: yes, I did watch the video, which due to camera filming angle is simply not revealing enough about the seat design to wean my concern. That said...
Don't laugh -- the chance of pudendal nerve entrapment looks to be incredibly high with this kind of design. Women should be worried about urological complications, and men should be worried about impotency. UTIs are likely to increase with this kind of design too. Yes really.
Any long-term cyclist, or doctor for that matter, can tell you that a decent saddle (seat) absolutely requires the perennial area be cut out/removed completely. The common saddle today has a recessed area (which does not help relieve pressure -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise), and many are still flat. The proper solution is to cut away the entire perennial area of the saddle, resulting in a literal a hole in the saddle. This ensures the arteries and nerves in your no-no spots don't get squashed. Some saddles consist of two cushions where your buttocks go with nothing in between, which works equally as well -- and the design of Honda's product (based on the video) may use this design, but it looks as if one's crotch literally rests on a fulcrum point of some kind.
This may be TMI for some, but I speak from experience. In 2004 I started experiencing signs of perennial damage -- specifically, occasional sharp pains which originated in the perennial or anal area and shot through my body like a knife (commonly a sign of PNE). Urination also became complex (specifically minor overflow incontinence). It got worse over the course of 4-5 months. As a computer geek the first thing I did was replace my home and work seating (where I spent the majority of my time) -- no difference. At the 6 month mark I, despite the embarrassment, saw my doctor who immediately said "Aren't you a cyclist? Replace your saddle immediately. Buy one with the perennial area completely cut out -- not receded". I did as instructed and within a few weeks: no more pain. The incontinence problem resides, indicating there was some permanent damage (probably the detrusor muscle), but only on rare occasion. And thankfully there were no sexual side effects. :P
I realise this device will probably not be used for long rides / rides over long distances, but given its slow rate of movement, rides would be longer than that of, say, a Segway, electric scooter, bicycle or similar device. Consider the implications of someone using one of these devices multiple times a day to get to work -- say, a distance of 2 miles round-trip.
Honda should consider the risks involved with what they've created. Fix the design now to ensure no class-action lawsuits down the road.
Stone Age Tech... (Score:5, Insightful)
Just read the comic B.C.
Re:Creepy -- and SAD (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
The solution is to give in an AI, and give it the personality of a 2 or 3 year old toddler. Every couple blocks it will suddenly stop and scream "No! I don't want to go anymore! Carry me!". That way you'd get a nice mix of convenience and unplanned physical exercise.
Re: (Score:2)
I wonder if these devices lock you in with a control rod inserted into your anus, like Mr. Garrison's IT?
Contradiction in terms... (Score:2)
I'm not sure the little gyroscopes in that thing will be able to cope with the sort of lard-ass who'd want to buy one.