Competition for the Segway?

Published on September 24th, 2009

Honda on Wednesday unveiled the U3-X, a stool with a unique directional wheel system that allows it to travel diagonally, as well as right, left, forward, and backward.

It’s basically a robotic unicycle.

The device is able to readjust itself so that instead of riders having to constantly balance themselves, the robotic unicycle does the compensating.

24 users responded in " Competition for the Segway? "

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# 1 wirelessg said, on September 24th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

If your arms have to stay down by your side, that would be more unnatural than what your body can do on the Segway.

# 2 handburger said, on September 24th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

I’d imagine that that is less comfortable for long time use than a Segway, but it’s nice to see competition in the “personal vehicle” segment, so I’m not going to complain.

# 3 xjonx said, on September 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm

STUPID! Why don’t they work on something useful like technology that would allow one to replace their legs with robotic ones and cut out the middle man. Maybe replace everything from the navel down. That would solve alot of problems.

# 4 SimonSezz said, on September 24th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

They are going to have to come out with an extra power version for fat-ass Americans.

# 5 Ah_Yea said, on September 24th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

And the Segway was soooo successful!

# 6 Ah_Yea said, on September 24th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

Yea, SimonSezz.

Maybe one of those really fat Harley Davidson seats over a 350 chevy.

Now I’m interested!

# 7 chuck said, on September 24th, 2009 at 2:23 pm

Wow, it’s amazing – they’ll have to re-design cities and develop new transportation plans! It’s a revolution!

#3 – actually, Honda’s done that too:

I’m waiting for the full-body Gundam suit.

# 8 Glenn E. said, on September 24th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

If the makers of the Segway has labeled a medical device. They could have killed any chances of rivals making cheaper versions of it. Just as Hearing Aids are ridiculously over priced today. And no foreign makers cranking out cheaper and better models. Some Hearing Aids priced as high as large screen LCD Tvs. Yet they’re just a little bit of plastic, a mini mic and amplifier of a chip. Probably $15 worth of technology. Medical supply price fixing keeps it $600 to $1200. My $60 MP3 player has more sophistication. But it’s software only allows it to record sound, not amplify and play it back live. It even has built in Equalization. Probably better than most hearing aid do. So why does one cost 20 times as much as the other?!

Think of all the people who could benefit from hearing aids costing no more than $120. Rather than 10 times as much. You get no break at all, if you’ve got more than two pennies to rub together. American citizens, are screwed. Third world countries’ citizens, may catch a small price break. Two hundred dollars cheaper?

So while Honda may make a cheaper Segway. Don’t hold your breath waiting to see a quality hearing aid, made by LG or Samsung, at you local Walmart or Bestbuy.

# 9 amodedoma said, on September 24th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Hey guys – It’s a prototype, not production model, it’s more expensive than the Segway, and most importantly it’s an indoor vehicle.

# 10 noname said, on September 24th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Oh great, more ways to get and stay fat.

# 11 RTaylor said, on September 24th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

We Boomers aren’t going around in plain scooters and wheel chairs. That’s the big market opportunity. Why do you think Japanese companies are investing heavily in patient robotic care. I’m investing in a large boat with 2 muzzle loading cannons. There will be a service with refreshments and the deceased, or two, will be blasted out to sea. Going Out With A Boom, LLC. Fishing charters also available.

# 12 Troublemaker said, on September 24th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

Competition for an overhyped, failed product?

AWESOME!!!

# 13 JeremyJ said, on September 24th, 2009 at 4:48 pm

People really need to do a little research. The Segway was an early prototype of the iBOT that they decided to bring to market. The iBOT, even though it was one of the most cost effective chairs on the market was taken off due to heavy lobbying of inferior competitors to insurance companies to not cover the device in fear it would destroy the market. Why would you pay $30k for a chair that does nothing special when you can pay $20k for one that has 4 wheel drive, goes up and down stairs, and balances on 2 wheels to extend your reach above a “normal” human? In healthcare, there is no such thing as a free market. I’m really happy I was able to snatch up one of the last ones made but its a shame that I’ll never see another.

# 14 Ron Larson said, on September 24th, 2009 at 5:52 pm

#8..Glenn E.

I was listening to a podcast, or reading something the other day about this problem. It was a blind guy who pointed out some of the insane Medicare rules.

In his case, he is entitled to buy a reader to read stuff to him. He noted that the built in reader for a Mac does a better job than the one Medicare tried to get him to buy. He also noted that a Macbook laptop costs less than half the price of this reader device.

In his case, he paid for the Macbook out of his own pocket because, as he put it, I get the best reader, and it does a million other things. The approved reader, which costs about $7k, only did one thing, narrate text badly.

He was told he could buy the Macbook. But in order to get reimbursed, he would have to disable everything except the text reader.

No wonder we have the world’s most expensive medical care, yet 3rd world coverage.

# 15 OvenMaster said, on September 24th, 2009 at 6:04 pm

My God. ANYTHING to not have people actually walk and burn a calorie or two to get somewhere.

# 16 Buzz said, on September 24th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Very intriguing. The wheel under the rider is segmented in a way that rim slices can move the CG sideways, and of course, it can move to and fro just like a normal wheel. That means you are sitting over an almost ball-like device in function. The seating makes you look about 600% more dorky than a Segway, on which you merely stand straight up, but version 4.0 (wait for it) will be much better.

I still like the three Toyota prototypes of the Winglet concept, which extend your legs over fat squished tires for a definite improvement on Segway architecture.

# 17 Awake said, on September 24th, 2009 at 7:08 pm

Get off that dorky looking thing, and climb into this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VemGJSIN1XY&feature=player_embedded#t=53

As Andrew Tobias says in his blog: There aren’t enough airbags in the world for me to want to drive it in serious tractor-trailer traffic . . . my Foosball table weighs almost as much as this Volkswagen

# 18 qb said, on September 24th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

I didn’t think anything could out-dork the Segway.

# 19 amodedoma said, on September 25th, 2009 at 1:42 am

Back in the day, when I had to cover big computer events like COMDEX or CEBIT, I’d've pay’d good money to rent one of these. Usually I’d have like 3 days to cover these huge events and ended up exhausted with swollen feet.

# 20 The Monster's Lawyer said, on September 25th, 2009 at 4:45 am

“A company that puts it out there. That’s what matters. You naysayers can sucks ass.” ~ Honda

# 21 O'Really said, on September 25th, 2009 at 5:21 am

It’s just like those lazy ass Japanese to create something that supports their sedentary lifestyle. At least in America, our personal vehicles require you stand and do some work. When will the rest of the world realize the error of their ways and live healthier more active lifestyles like Americans???

# 22 Bquigley said, on September 25th, 2009 at 9:01 am

Glenn E.,
You might want to try Songbird. http://www.songbirdhearing.com. Please note, I work for the company, but I think this could be something for you to know about.

Ben

# 23 Glenn E. said, on September 26th, 2009 at 1:47 am

Thanks. I’ll tell my mum about it. She’s the one who needs them. I’m not quite there yet. The “permanent” Ultra model is more what she’d be interested in. The disposable’s mere 400 hours of use, wouldn’t be very long for someone who forgets to turn the thing off. Even at only 10 hours a day, this would mean only 40 days. Not six months. Most replacement batteries last a week. At a dollar a battery, it far cheaper to replace six of those. Than get a new $80 hearing aid.

I don’t see why manufacturers can’t make a rechargeable hearing aid, the way MP3 players and wireless phones are. And those don’t cost $280 or more. Why must the battery industry’s profits be forever preserved?

# 24 Glenn E. said, on September 26th, 2009 at 2:52 am

The U3-X seems pretty useless, if all you can do with one’s hands is hold on so you don’t fall off. I doubt there will be a basket option, like on the Segway. The battery charge can’t be very long either. Probably under an hour’s use.

Showing it work in a totally featureless white room, probably hides the fact that it doesn’t move sideways (or not very well). They just panned the camera sideways. It didn’t do more than go straight, in the office hallway. And almost anyone could walk faster than that. Plus that thing’s little roller bearing can’t climb stairs or any other level disruptions.

I think this product is more of a ploy to impress their less technical stockholders.

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