tofuwatch.com

Best seat in the house? Honda unveils all-direction Personal Mobility Device

 

People who have wanted to stay put but still move forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally might have their dreams answered with Honda’s newest creation – the experimental Personal Mobility Device.

Known as the U3-X, the compact device resembles a chair or unicycle but its drive train – which has a large diameter wheel as well as smaller ones around that bigger one - enables it to move in all directions, Honda said in a statement released Thursday.

The Tokyo-based company, which presented it before journalists, said it believes in the idea of “harmony with people” with this device, which uses an ”omni-directional driving wheel system.”

AFP and The Associated Press report that it can travel up to 3.7-miles per hour.

A person who sits on the device can shift his or her weight to “adjust speed and move, turn and stop,” according to Honda.

The experimental model, the company reported, stands 25.6 inches (650 mm) in height and is about 6.3 inches (160 mm) in width. It has a length of 12.4 inches (315 mm).

It weighs less than 22 pounds (10 kg) and requires a lithium ion battery that can last one hour.

Honda said it also took into account where people might use the U3-X:

This compact size and one-wheel-drive personal mobility device was designed to be friendly to the user and people around it by making it easier for the rider to reach the ground from the footrest and placing the rider on roughly the same eye level as other people or pedestrians.

The company plans to present it at the Tokyo Motor Show 2009, which opens Oct. 24 at Makuhari Meese in Chiba, Japan.

The Personal Mobility Device uses technology that Honda developed as part of its ASIMO robotics research. ASIMO is the company’s humanoid robot.

Honda added it will continue experimenting with the device to make sure it is practical for daily use.

If Honda manufactures this device for the commercial market, it could fit in well with large technology companies or at Boeing plants, where employees have ridden from place to place on cruiser-style bicycles or in small electric vehicles.

In addition to Honda, Toyota has its i-Real mobility device, which was featured at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007 and this year at the Seoul Motor Show.

The two-wheeled Segway vehicle has caught on with some people and government agencies in the United States, including police departments.

I forgot to say that my friend, Todd, raises a great question: Would you actually use a Personal Mobility Device?

If you like tech news from the Seattle area, visit his site.

Todd and John, the other site co-founder, have a great clip about people and whether they can name an Internet search engine.

Note:  Thanks to Hiroshi for letting me know about the U3-X.