Urban Transport

Testing Honda's "mind-controlled" UNI-CUB β

Testing Honda's "mind-controlled" UNI-CUB β
The Honda UNI-CUB β has no conventional accelerator, brake or steering mechanism, yet it is the easiest vehicle to use that I have ever encountered and in use feels nearly "telepathic" or "mind-controlled" with a degree of difficulty of ZERO (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
The Honda UNI-CUB β has no conventional accelerator, brake or steering mechanism, yet it is the easiest vehicle to use that I have ever encountered and in use feels nearly "telepathic" or "mind-controlled" with a degree of difficulty of ZERO (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Getting the UNI-CUB β explained to me by one of Honda's Press Minders and one of the demonstrators (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Getting the UNI-CUB β explained to me by one of Honda's Press Minders and one of the demonstrators (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Climbing aboard the UNI-CUB β for the first time (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Climbing aboard the UNI-CUB β for the first time (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
My first few meters on the Honda UNI-CUB β, and trying to "tip it into the corner" (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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My first few meters on the Honda UNI-CUB β, and trying to "tip it into the corner" (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Recognizing just how good the interface is on the UNI-CUB β – none of the conventional controls of accelerator, brake or steering wheel, yet it did exactly what I wanted it to do (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Recognizing just how good the interface is on the UNI-CUB β – none of the conventional controls of accelerator, brake or steering wheel, yet it did exactly what I wanted it to do (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
The Honda UNI-CUB β has no conventional accelerator, brake or steering mechanism, yet it is the easiest vehicle to use that I have ever encountered and in use feels nearly "telepathic" or "mind-controlled" with a degree of difficulty of ZERO (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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The Honda UNI-CUB β has no conventional accelerator, brake or steering mechanism, yet it is the easiest vehicle to use that I have ever encountered and in use feels nearly "telepathic" or "mind-controlled" with a degree of difficulty of ZERO (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Everyone who rode the UNI-CUB ended up with a smile on their face - not because their adrenalin glands had been tickled, but because it's just plain FUN, and requires nothing more than sitting down and deciding where you want to go. (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Everyone who rode the UNI-CUB ended up with a smile on their face - not because their adrenalin glands had been tickled, but because it's just plain FUN, and requires nothing more than sitting down and deciding where you want to go. (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Being available to the public, I watched as the most unlikely people tried the UNI-CUB – people who you might think would be reticent to risk their safety and dignity in a land that prizes both. No-one's dignity or body suffered. Everyone came out grinning like a Cheshire cat. (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Being available to the public, I watched as the most unlikely people tried the UNI-CUB – people who you might think would be reticent to risk their safety and dignity in a land that prizes both. No-one's dignity or body suffered. Everyone came out grinning like a Cheshire cat. (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
One of the many highlights of the Tokyo Motor Show is that you get to try all these mobility devices as a member of the public (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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One of the many highlights of the Tokyo Motor Show is that you get to try all these mobility devices as a member of the public (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's press "teacher" really didn't have much to do – no learning required. (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Honda's press "teacher" really didn't have much to do – no learning required. (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
I listened intently, figuring it might be really embarrassing if I messed up with Stephen Clemenger clicking away on the Canon 5D Mk III (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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I listened intently, figuring it might be really embarrassing if I messed up with Stephen Clemenger clicking away on the Canon 5D Mk III (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
You can't tip it into a corner like a bike because when you lean inwards, the Omni Traction Drive System simply starts moving sideways. Oversteer is much more comfortable. (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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You can't tip it into a corner like a bike because when you lean inwards, the Omni Traction Drive System simply starts moving sideways. Oversteer is much more comfortable. (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
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Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
The original U3-X was conceived as a last mile transportation device in addition to stand-alone duties. That's the door of a Honda EV-N battery electric vehicle prototype shown by Honda in 2009 with the U3-X embedded. The idea ws that the U3-X would charge while in the door and would be always available as last-mile transport.(Photo: Honda)
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The original U3-X was conceived as a last mile transportation device in addition to stand-alone duties. That's the door of a Honda EV-N battery electric vehicle prototype shown by Honda in 2009 with the U3-X embedded. The idea ws that the U3-X would charge while in the door and would be always available as last-mile transport.(Photo: Honda)
Honda's robotic and mobility assistance devices. (Photo: Honda)
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Honda's robotic and mobility assistance devices. (Photo: Honda)
No-one could fault the UNI-CUB (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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No-one could fault the UNI-CUB (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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This Honda demonstration model flitted around the stage like tinkerbell for hours at a time on the U3-X during Tokyo Motor Show 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
One of the star features of the UNI-CUB β - the Honda Omni Traction Drive. (Image: Honda)
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One of the star features of the UNI-CUB β - the Honda Omni Traction Drive. (Image: Honda)
Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's Walking Assist devices on display at the International Robot Exp, November 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
The U3-X shape was used in a much smaller form factor named the LOOP which Honda showed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009. The LOOP was a portable communication tool that allowed people and mobility devices to communicate with each other. (Image: Honda)
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The U3-X shape was used in a much smaller form factor named the LOOP which Honda showed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009. The LOOP was a portable communication tool that allowed people and mobility devices to communicate with each other. (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X prototype in 2009 (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β at left and Honda's UNI-CUB at right (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β at left and Honda's UNI-CUB at right (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β at left and Honda's UNI-CUB at right (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β at left and Honda's UNI-CUB at right (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB β (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X (Image: Honda)
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Honda's U3-X (Image: Honda)
Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
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Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
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Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
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Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
We've come a very long way in 125 years of personal transport (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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We've come a very long way in 125 years of personal transport (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB and U3-X (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB and U3-X (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
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Honda's UNI-CUB (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's UNI-CUB on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's UNI-CUB on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration staff floating around the stage (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration staff floating around the stage (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
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Honda's ASIMO Humanoid Robot (Image: Honda)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglets (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglets (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
The specifications of Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet on display at the Tokyo Motor Show which finished last week (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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The specifications of Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet on display at the Tokyo Motor Show which finished last week (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglets (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglets (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
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Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
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Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
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Toyota's 2009 prototype Winglet
Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
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Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
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Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota iREAL (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Toyota staff demonstrating the Winglet in 2009 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota staff demonstrating the Winglet in 2009 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
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Dean Kamen's Segway pioneered this market (Photo: Segway)
Toyota staff demonstrating the Winglet in 2009 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Toyota staff demonstrating the Winglet in 2009 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Toyot's Winglet was shown in three versions in 2009 (Photo: Toyota)
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Toyot's Winglet was shown in three versions in 2009 (Photo: Toyota)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
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Author Mike Hanlon trying out General Motors EN-V self-balancing two-wheeled car (Photo: Ben Coxworth / Gizmag.com)
A Winglet clone snapped at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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A Winglet clone snapped at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
A self-balancing two-wheeler at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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A self-balancing two-wheeler at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
A self-balancing two-wheeler at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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A self-balancing two-wheeler at Auto Shanghai 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
China's Robstep is building a global market with its Winglet lookalike (Photo: Robstep)
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China's Robstep is building a global market with its Winglet lookalike (Photo: Robstep)
China's Robstep is building a global market with its Winglet lookalike (Photo: Robstep)
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China's Robstep is building a global market with its Winglet lookalike (Photo: Robstep)
Mike Hanlon on the Robstep M1 at Auto Shanghai, 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
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Mike Hanlon on the Robstep M1 at Auto Shanghai, 2013 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
The original specifications of the Winglet published by Toyota. It was much lighter early in its development
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The original specifications of the Winglet published by Toyota. It was much lighter early in its development
Author Mike Hanlon testing Robstep's M1, Toyota's Winglet prototype, Toyota's iREAL prototype and GM's EN-V prototype
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Author Mike Hanlon testing Robstep's M1, Toyota's Winglet prototype, Toyota's iREAL prototype and GM's EN-V prototype
View gallery - 119 images

“It has a top speed of 6 km/h, it balances itself, and you couldn’t crash it if you tried. How can you possibly see that as one of the biggest thrills of your life?” That was the response from an automotive journalist colleague at the Tokyo Motor Show after I'd eulogized riding Honda’s UNI-CUB β personal mobility device to him.

It’s a typical reaction to the next generation of transport from the people who write solely about the four-wheeled current generation. Indeed, those who are of healthy body, and not elderly, or mobility impaired, usually don't quite fathom the need for more sedate yet practical forms of transport.

The world is facing an energy crisis, a global warming crisis brought on by humanity polluting the atmosphere, severe overcrowding in cities and a host of complex mobility problems, and yet the vast majority of us continue to drive cars weighing several tons with four or more seats as our sole personal transport. Given perspective, this is not the answer.

Personal mobility solutions of the future must be much smaller, use far less energy, and reduce pollution to a minimum.

Author Mike Hanlon testing Robstep's M1, Toyota's Winglet prototype, Toyota's iREAL prototype and GM's EN-V prototype
Author Mike Hanlon testing Robstep's M1, Toyota's Winglet prototype, Toyota's iREAL prototype and GM's EN-V prototype

In the last few years, I’ve tried many non-conventional personal transport solutions – many Segway models and Chinese clones of the revolutionary self-balancing design, the Yikebike, several prototypes of Toyota’s iReal, several prototypes of Toyota’s Winglet, Robstep’s M1, General Motors prototype EN-V self-balancing car plus a variety of one-, two-, three- and four-wheeled mobility solutions and while many have impressed me, none have had quite as much impact as the Honda UNI-CUB β I tried two weeks ago at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Like many of those devices, Honda's UNI-CUB β is self-balancing, but it offers so much more than simply staying upright of its own accord.

The main reason for my fascination with the MINI-CUB is the astonishing ease-of-use thanks to its very advanced user interface which gives using the machine a “degree of difficulty” of zero.

From the moment it moved with my 85 kg weight aboard, I realized the UNI-CUB β nano-EV offered something very close to a direct vehicle-brain-interface, with only “intention” required to move in a certain direction or speed.

Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)
Riding Honda's UNI-CUB β (Photo: Stephen Clemenger / Lets C Design)

Though it deduces its instructions (the rider’s intentions) using a combination of complex but known technologies, it is the refinement of the control software which is the most impressive – it seems to "know" what you want it to do, giving it a telepathic feel, and it obeys your thoughts so smoothly, that confidence is inspired from the first moment. The other factor which made it one of the thrills of a lifetime, is its driving wheel, which is so advanced that it might one day become recognized as the "Wheel V2.0” – Honda’s Omni Traction Drive System.

For those enchanted by ingenious technological solutions (AKA Gizmag's readership of four million human beings per month), the Omni Traction Drive System will be recognized as mechanical artistry at its finest.

The omni-directional wheel consists of many small motor-controlled wheels connected to form one large wheel.

One of the star features of the UNI-CUB β - the Honda Omni Traction Drive. (Image: Honda)
One of the star features of the UNI-CUB β - the Honda Omni Traction Drive. (Image: Honda)

Forward and backward movement is done by rotating the large wheel, and side-to-side movement is achieved by rotating the small wheels. By combining both, the UNI-CUB β can move forward, backward or diagonally, though to the rider, it’s more like thinking "I’ll go that way," and away it goes.

Reflecting on riding Honda’s UNI-CUB β, I recalled the first time I rode a bicycle. It was a moment of absolute joy that I’d looked forward to for quite some time (my first bike was considerably bigger than I was, and reaching the pedals required some growing before it was possible), and one I can still recall with vivid clarity. It was one of life’s finest moments.

Riding the UNI-CUB β was a similarly rewarding experience.

Riding a self-balancing monocycle (it’s not quite but more on that later) is such a challenging concept that you can’t help but be a little afraid that you won’t be able to do it. I’ve ridden or driven pretty much everything on one through four wheels in a third of a century of boys’ toys journalism but despite that, I realized, in hindsight, I was afraid I might not “get it.”

When you do “get it”, you can’t help but be pleased with yourself, even though, by then, you know it’s down there with breathing, walking and chewing gum in being so easy and natural that you really don’t really need to think about it.

Learning to ride the UNI-CUB β is infinitely easier than learning to ride a bicycle. You sit down on it, lift the release lever at the rear of the seat that stabilizes it at standstill, and … away you go.

There’s no balancing involved because it does that for you.

It’s also not like learning to drive a car where you need to master and coordinate a number of skills such as revving the motor and releasing the clutch, coordinating the throttle, clutch, and gearstick for changing gears and so on, because it is auto-everything.

There’s no traditional steering mechanism like handlebars or a steering wheel, and you don’t actually need to consciously think about leaning in a particular direction. Just as you intuitively lean forward when you want a car, bike, PWC, or to go faster at its top speed, or squeeze the throttle or push harder on an accelerator when the gas pedal is already “to the metal”, the UNI-CUB β reads your body language from slight changes in its attitude to vertical.

That might be how the UNI-CUB β works out what to do, but in reality, it felt as if it was mind-reading my intentions. It’s the nearest thing to a natural machine brain interface I’ve ever encountered – you just think which direction you want to go in and the UNI-CUB does the rest.

I will be very interested to see how this technology works with the aged and mobility-impaired – operating it requires no more strength than being able to sit upright, so it might well turn out to be a killer app for the elderly.

These technologies obviously have application in other personal mobility devices too, and since the experience, I have been envisioning many new compact mobility solutions, from monocycle wheelchairs through to sports machinery.

Honda's U3-X (Image: Honda)
Honda's U3-X (Image: Honda)

Those who have watched the development of the UNI-CUB β, will know it has evolved from the original U3-X self-balancing unicycle we first saw at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. The U3-X also used the Honda Omni Traction Drive System.

The U3-X and UNI-CUB β were both developed at Honda R&D Corporation’s Fundamental Technology Research Center in Saitama, Japan, the same place which developed Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot and the company's walking assist devices.

I was a little disappointed when the UNI-CUB was announced, because it has added a second wheel – just as I was incredibly disappointed when GM’s two-wheel, self-balancing EN-V turned into another four-wheel micro car, adding a training wheel to the omni-directional wheel seemed to cheapen the end result just a tad.

Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)

I had spent many hours at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show watching Honda’s demonstration models frolicking on the one-wheeled U3-X.

So I have been looking forward to driving the U3-X, and subsequently the UNI-CUB and UNI-CUB β, for four years ... and when it happened it was an anti-climax because in almost every detail, I knew what to expect. I’d imagined how it felt from watching Honda’s demonstrations.

Though the Segway, Winglet and Robstep accelerate and decelerate in reaction to weight distribution, they are steered with the handlebars. The UNI-CUB β is steered by body movement too, only it does it better and easier. Lean forward it moves forward, lean further forward and speed picks up. Move your weight ever so slightly rearward and it slows, more still and it stops, and even more still and it will begin moving backwards.

This is all done in a very natural way – it isn't "nervous" in any way because the control software smoothes it all out for you, and the sensitivity of the sensors is such that it doesn’t actually require the rider to consciously lean in any direction.

Perhaps the only aspect I hadn’t counted on was a consequence of the omni wheel which can move sideways without the larger wheel rotating at all. I kept wanting to “tip it into a corner” as with a motorcycle, but you can’t really tip the UNI-CUB β into a corner because it stays upright.

So what ended up happening when I moved my weight to the inside was that the UNI-CUB β would feel my input and the Omni Traction Drive would begin spinning sideways, to accommodate my request. I suspect that’s the reason the additional wheel has been added – to simulate the customary experience of pointing in the same direction you are traveling. Just the same, I recall that the models who piloted the U3-X at Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 seemed to have no trouble doing tricks that seemed magical.

Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on stage at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011 with demonstration girl flitting around the stage like Tinkerbell (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)

One of the models at that show captivated me as she "floated" around the stage like Tinkerbell in Peter Pan.

Most car and motorcycle pilots are more comfortable with oversteer – when you’ve gone in too fast and it starts to let go, the back lets go first. You won’t go anywhere too fast on the UNI-CUB β, but the cornering experience isn’t quite the same as with traditional two- and four-wheelers as it delivers some of the same cues of understeer, even though it’s not actually understeer. If you're going to be "sideways" in a corner, you want to be pointing towards the inside, not the outside of the corner.

When you are going around a corner, the UNI-CUB β is quite happy doing so sideways, but inclined in the opposite direction to that I have grown accustomed to. This is disconcerting if your brain is wired to know that understeer needs immediate input to avoid disaster. Once my head worked it out, things became a lot easier.

Other than that slight variation, it works exactly as advertised, and I can’t for the life of me work out why Honda hasn’t commercialized the device and begun reaping the rewards for having come up with such a brilliant concept as the Omni Traction Wheel and designed it into such a desirable product.

Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Honda's U3-X on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011. It seemed to be ready for market with a wide range of personalisation and colour options (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)

On top of all that, the 2011 Honda display at the Tokyo Motor Show demonstrated a fully-developed product which appeared on the verge of commercialization – a range of colors and patterns and … who knows what happened.

I did not get to ride the U3-X, so I can only surmise that having developed a very good interface, Honda opted to go the extra mile to the sublime near-perfection of the UNI-CUB β’s almost telepathic interface.

Honda has shown over time that it likes to get its first product of a new series just right, and given that there’s not much chance of anyone copying Honda’s omni-directional wheel, this could be a very important product and subsequent series of products because they cannot be replicated anywhere else.

A case in point here is Toyota’s Winglet. I tried the Winglet at Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 and again in 2011 and it was a ready-to-sell product in my opinion.

Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)
Author Mike Hanlon trying out the Toyota Winglet (Photo: Noel McKeegan / Gizmag.com)

Although weighing in at one fifth the weight of a Segway, it was not nearly as “nervous” as you would expect for a 10 kg vehicle carrying an 85 kg human.

Toyota waited to put the product on the market and the Winglet that appeared this year has been significantly reengineered from that shown just two years ago.

The original specifications of the Winglet published by Toyota. It was much lighter early in its development
The original specifications of the Winglet published by Toyota. It was much lighter early in its development

Above are the specs of the Winglet published by Toyota in 2009 and below are the specs of the Winglet displayed on the Toyota stand this year.

The specifications of Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet on display at the Tokyo Motor Show which finished last week (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
The specifications of Toyota's 2013 prototype Winglet on display at the Tokyo Motor Show which finished last week (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)

By waiting, Toyota enabled a host of similar if not identical products to appear from China, most notably the Robstep M1, but I saw many more in China early this year at Auto Shanghai. During Auto Shanghai I tried nearly all of them, with several rides on the Robstep, and it was equally as good as the Winglets I had ridden in 2009 and 2011 – it’s hard to be certain with several years in between, but they felt remarkably similar in their characteristics, and they looked very similar. So why is Toyota waiting still? It risks the product it invented becoming a me-too product. On the other hand, a better developed product makes a greater impact, and distinguishes it from the competition.

By comparison, the Honda UNI-CUB β is MUCH easier than the Toyota Winglet to master, doesn’t go fast enough to scare even the most timid of pilots, and it will not lose several years of sales as Chinese manufacturers successfully reverse engineer its product.

Apart from the world’s early adopters, who will want a UNI-CUB β for the exact reason that it is an engineering triumph and a first, it’s also a perfect robotic platform (weighing in at around 20 kg but capable of carrying 100 kg), and it will fill a distinct void in the current personal mobility spectrum.

In summary, it works even better than advertised. In the history books 100 years from now, this device might well be elevated to the Pantheon of Personal Transportation devices alongside the Model T Ford.

Bravo Honda.

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10 comments
10 comments
Slowburn
Something to replace walking, but it won't even replace a small motorcycle.
Esi 1976
The problem with these small vehicles is that they’re not big enough to be safe among other vehicles, even if the speed limit problem get solved, and in the other hand they’re not suitable for sidewalks too; specially crowded ones. We have a biological transport system that burns hydrocarbons without leaving poisonous gases in atmosphere, our FEET!
thespinGM
The problem with these gizmos is that if they are just good enough to replace walking, it's not a good thing, except for the disabled and the very elderly, because we don't get enough exercise as it is. And if they are fast enough for real city travel, then they are too dangerous in collisions - which is why most people don't use motorcycles or scooters.
WB1200
“The world is facing an energy crisis, a global warming crisis brought on by humanity polluting the atmosphere, severe overcrowding in cities and a host of complex mobility problems, and yet the vast majority of us continue to drive cars weighing several tons with four or more seats as our sole personal transport. Given perspective, this is not the answer.”
And this is??? I guess I’m supposed to ride this on my 5 mile commute to & from work every day, rain & shine, sleet & snow at the blistering speed of 6 km/h (3.7mph) every day and without the ability to stop at the supermarket to pick up groceries???? Unless you are handy capped, these things are useless & will contribute to the obesity problem, how about getting some exorcise & walk instead???
Neil Farbstein
Now if it could instantly transport you to the giant brain planet where captain pike lives- you can finally be happy!
Scott in California
I think this is a great start to a necessary shift away from 4000-lb four-door trucks, idling in a line of vehicles at Starbucks, in order to order at a window (without leaving your vehicle!!!) People such as WB1200 will always set up alarming, "impossible!" scenarios, but I'm certain that when people started breaking their wrists from backfires while crank-starting the early automobiles, it was invariably "It'll never replace the horse and buggy! Too unreliable, and when you run out of that gasoline, then what?? Walk home??"
To travel distances over three miles, something has to replace the traffic signal/freeway/two-ton, one-person music-mobile. I know what will, I'm working on it. And, no it's not a flying car, but it might feel like it!!
Robert Bernal
Larger versions can be used in 3D cities, on every level, and on spiral ramps or even cable lifts. There is no reason to continue with the arcane traffic system of today, especially when these things are driven by "app"... Punch in when and where you want to be, and the networks autonomously whizzes you there... Expect a few brief "system crashes" mimicking rush hour when ever a non autonomous person or animal crosses the "network". Should still be orders of magnitude quicker than human drivers...
Even coal based electricity would become many times more efficient in this way, however, molten salt nuclear is required to power the industrial process of a growing planetary civilization... unless, of course, efficiency gains can actually reduce power requirements down to what "mere" solar, wind and their storage (and existing nuclear) can produce. It is hard to imagine all the developing nations being able to afford anything other than coal, though. Perhaps, it will become necessary for autonomous machines of the future to "clean up the excess CO2 mess"... (via machine mining of material necessary for mineral sequestration of the excess CO2).
Captain Danger
"killer app for the elderly"
That's one way of dealing with overcrowding.
Yiu Yin Yau
wow... this is the future
kman
Super cool, definitely. And be sure to check out the OK GO video with a ton of these performing in sync!
But I have yet to see a price, anywhere. :/