Weird Japan
Japan, I think we can all admit, is often a weird place. Robots, giant lizards, odd comic books, that sort of thing.
But every now and then, they're both weird and cool:
A Segway, essentially, steered by the muscles in the posterior. You just kind of squirm your way along, if you get my meaning. From Yahoo! Autos:
No automaker keeps quite as many strange side projects afloat as Honda, which has everything from jet planes to walking robots underway in its engineering studios. On Tuesday, Honda revealed its plans for another company invention, a rolling stool it now calls the Uni-Cub which users steer by the seat of their pants. One can only hope for a racing version.
Designed to mimic the speed and height of walking, the Uni-Cub's lithium batteries power a trick wheel that can move any direction. Using sensors on the seats, riders simply shift their weight in the direction they wish to travel -- there's also a smartphone control app -- and the unit rides high so that the riders have eye contact with people not cool enough to glide around the office up to 3.7 miles on a charge.
Sign me up.
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Dec '10
Re: Weird Japan
This is important research. It will lead to hands-free driving - and we'll be able to get back to using our hands for more important things during our commute time.
If they can extend the sensor mechanism to allow for accelerator and brake control, then we could free our feet during the commute as well - perhaps allowing us to exercise with bicycle pedals as we travel.
Oct '10
Re: Weird Japan
If this ever becomes popular in America I'll move someplace else. I thought nothing could be worse than the Segway.
Oct '10
Re: Weird Japan
It must deemed unfit for use due to, well, seat size. Do the math.
Jul '10
Re: Weird Japan
What's the weight capacity?
We should be walking.
Jun '11
Re: Weird Japan
That can help us in the US---- Segway into the abyss of Japanese and European population decline.
Get up and walk.
Jan '11
Re: Weird Japan
Think of how much fun it will be to keep itching powder handy.
May '10
Re: Weird Japan
What a shame. With this gadget, the fit, cute, Japanese posterior will soon be going the way of the fit, cute, American posterior.
Jul '11
Re: Weird Japan
I'll stick to my unicycle.
May '10
Re: Weird Japan
Eww. Made me think of Wall-E.
Mar '11
Re: Weird Japan
Oh come on! Uni-Cub? They can come up with a better name than that! How about the Can Van? Or the Tushie Pushie? Or maybe even the Pooper Scooter?
Dec '11
Re: Weird Japan
Living in Japan, these things will probably bought by people who have trouble walking. Healthy Japanese would not have the patience to go that slow.
Just imagine being able to replace a heavy motorized wheelchair with one of these. This would be great at airports for the weak walkers going long distances to gates. I hope I never need one but just in case I am going to keep my glutei maximi in shape.
Edited on June 5, 2012 at 1:20pmJun '10
Re: Weird Japan
What's really strange is that the Japanese students' legs look perfectly healthy.
Jul '10
Re: Weird Japan
Darn right. How's bout the Rear-Steer? Gluteus Traximus? End Send? Bottom Speeder?
Aug '11
Re: Weird Japan
Asselerator?
Dec '11
Re: Weird Japan
Casey: Oh come on! Uni-Cub? They can come up with a better name than that! How about the Can Van? Or the Tushie Pushie? Or maybe even the Pooper Scooter? · 17 minutes ago
Hope this helps, Honda makes a 50cc scooter called a Super Cub. It gets super gas mileage and they sell a lot of them. From Wikipedia,"The Super Cub has been compared to the Ford Model T, Volkswagen Beetle and the Jeep as an icon of 20th century industry and transport." The company is building on the success of that product name by calling it a "Uni-Cub".
Japanese product names can be funny to English ears, but it seems to not affect sells in Japan and Asia.
Edited on June 5, 2012 at 6:52amMar '11
Re: Weird Japan
Yeah, Japan is weird - their government thought that spending lots of money would get 'em outa recession - and they got stagflation. Do you think there might be something we could learn from that, if not the Segway?
Dec '10
Re: Weird Japan
This is new?
I've driven every conveyance I've ever owned with my ass.
Trend sitter!
Aug '10
Re: Weird Japan
The only time I squirm with that part of my body is when I have to "go" really bad--and I'm not talking locomotion. One can only hope that that wouldn't produce a recognizeable pattern of tire tracks.
Aug '10
Re: Weird Japan
On Venice Beach (CA, not FL), I've seen a Segway like device that has no handlebars, but has a post that comes up between the legs most of the way, and is gripped between the thighs. For some reason I haven't deduced yet, its driver is always wearing a tux.
I also saw a guy on a Segway like device that had a single wheel with a foot rest on either side of it, and a short post with half-cuffs that were gripped by the calves. What I couldn't figure out was how you got on it in the first place, since it couldn't just stand there balanced as the rider steps up onto it one foot at a time.
Dec '11
Re: Weird Japan
Here's the video link for those who are interested how this thing works.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QWomyABQ-A
Edited on June 5, 2012 at 11:44am