I hope they've got the patents sorted out, because the collection of small wheels forming one large wheel, thus enabling lateral movement without compromising linear grip was originally developed for a robot on robot wars... although I forget which one*
I thought at the time that it was a great idea... nice to see a company doing something clever with it!
Looks like fun too... like a sit down, one wheeled segway!
*I'm glad I can't remember, because I'd be ultra-sad if I could!
"the collection of small wheels forming one large wheel, thus enabling lateral movement without compromising linear grip was originally developed for a robot on robot wars"
No, it wasn't. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecanum_wheel
I remember the year that Honda thought it would be a good idea to bring Asimo along to the Isle of Man to present a segment of the T.T. races prize giving.
Cringeworthy.
That year was the first time I ever set eyes on a Segway - our sponsor brought his along to the pits, and our rider decided to have a go on it. Before long he was showing off in the car park with the thing set to high performance mode - making the thing do tight high speed turns with serious sideways drift.
El Reg he say: "A collection of small-diameter motorised wheels connected in-line to form a single large-diameter wheel allow the U3-X to make 360° movements, Honda said.".
I'll admit that that isn't up to patent drafting language standards, but it still sounds significantly different to the Mecanum wheel described in the Wikipedia article you cited. The Mecanum wheel has unpowered rollers attached at 45 deg to the bearing surface, so that one can obtain sideways movement by rotating front and back axles in opposite directions. No "small diameter motorised wheels" involved at all.
Unless you meant that the Mecanum wheel was the one used on Robot Wars, I suppose.
Typically, because it's a wheeled device and it's like the segway in that's motorised it won't be allowed on UK streets and pavements. Not allowed on pavements because it's motorised, and not allowed on roads because it can't be taxed.
As Martin says, the mecanum wheel was developed a little before Robot Wars came about. Plus, the whole rollers-around-the-wheel is passive (the rollers allow side-slip) while Honda's development seems to involve POWERED sideways rollers.
On the whole, this looks extremely cool. Very slick. Also utterly pointless; pretty much anyone could walk faster, powered on nothing more complex than a bowl of cornflakes. Most people who couldn't walk faster would probably crush the device (or be better served by a wheelchair)
I am (almost) certain that I just saw Adam (segway is his preffered method for getting round large, flat spaces) Savage riding a motorised unicycle in the last episode of the latest series aired on Monday or Tuesday this week. (during the bullet dropped vs bullet fired myth)
I admit I'd had a few so it could have been a normal unicycle or something else. I dont recall it looking as nice as the Honda one but I am sure it was motorised in some way and also a unicycle. I remember thinking how cool it looked (not Adam obviously, no matter what devices they use, uber geeks could never really be said to look cool!)
All we need to make this the ultimate in tech warfare is to arm and armour it. Then we'll finally have some robotic overloads - oops, overlords - we can respect.
Anyone care to join the World's First Armed and Armoured Monocycle Antiterrorist Patrol - just the thing for places like Afghanistan under US overloadship?
maybe just as pointless for you and me. Surely with the manufacturing clout of Honda behind it they can make it cheaper. And they will figure out if there's a market for it and sell it to the right people, be it old folks or warehouses or airports or whatever, applications where not having to walk round on your pins all day will increase your productivity (admittedly a scooter or bicycle is hard to beat for cost-effective productivity!)
Forget the Asimo and the unicycle - what are the other two? The first one looks like a single leg with tracks at the bottom, which is cool. But the second one - is that a pogo stick? Forget yer Segway - I want my electric robot pogo stick for travelling to work!
I'm not very image concious, but I don't think I'll be riding around on something that makes it look like I'm caressing my bumcheeks whilst riding around.
This is not a unicycle. By definition a unicycle has only 1 wheel, whereas this has multiple wheels arranged in the shape of a large wheel. I was really interested when I saw the article because the problems of automating riding a unicycle are really difficult (it has been done - but not for public use as far as I know). Unicycles are hard to ride mainly because they can travel in only 1 dimension but must balance in 2 dimensions. As such (unless you are really good) you have to maintain a constant state of imbalance in the controllable dimension, so that you can use the forwards and/or backwards movement to balance in the uncontrollable dimension. It's similar to a bike where you have to be moving forwards to balance sideways.
Because this just balances with a simple 2D movement device the control problem is not really much more difficult than a segway, and a lot more dull than a genuine automated unicycle.
Logitech Harmony ONE Advanced Universal Remote
Logitech Harmony 1100 Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 700 Universal Remote (LCD, 6 Devices)
Logitech Harmony 900 Universal Remote (LCD Touch Screen, Macro Control, 15 Devices)
Panasonic DMW-BCG10 Replacement Battery
Honda develops motorised unicycle
Anonymous Coward
Robot wars #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 15:07 GMT
I hope they've got the patents sorted out, because the collection of small wheels forming one large wheel, thus enabling lateral movement without compromising linear grip was originally developed for a robot on robot wars... although I forget which one*
I thought at the time that it was a great idea... nice to see a company doing something clever with it!
Looks like fun too... like a sit down, one wheeled segway!
*I'm glad I can't remember, because I'd be ultra-sad if I could!
John H. Maw
A one wheeled Segway? #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 15:25 GMT
Seems like a Honda version of the Segway with only one wheel an no bars to hold. Put me down for a couple when they start to sell.
RayDio
unicycle #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 15:25 GMT
You are of course, aware of the eniCycle?
Soup 'em up and race the buggers.
Anonymous Coward
Video #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 15:25 GMT
Here's a video from Honda. Can't you guys at the Reg google this yourselves? Looks fun anyway, but not sure how it would cope with bumps (or stairs).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSQPnGkt78
Martin 19
RE "Robot wars" #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 15:25 GMT
"the collection of small wheels forming one large wheel, thus enabling lateral movement without compromising linear grip was originally developed for a robot on robot wars"
No, it wasn't. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecanum_wheel
Mike Richards
I want to see #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 16:08 GMT
Asimo on a unicycle...
...preferably juggling chickens.
Then we'll know AI has come of age.
Anonymous Coward
Asimo #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 16:08 GMT
I remember the year that Honda thought it would be a good idea to bring Asimo along to the Isle of Man to present a segment of the T.T. races prize giving.
Cringeworthy.
That year was the first time I ever set eyes on a Segway - our sponsor brought his along to the pits, and our rider decided to have a go on it. Before long he was showing off in the car park with the thing set to high performance mode - making the thing do tight high speed turns with serious sideways drift.
Jonathan Richards
@Martin 19 #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 16:08 GMT
El Reg he say: "A collection of small-diameter motorised wheels connected in-line to form a single large-diameter wheel allow the U3-X to make 360° movements, Honda said.".
I'll admit that that isn't up to patent drafting language standards, but it still sounds significantly different to the Mecanum wheel described in the Wikipedia article you cited. The Mecanum wheel has unpowered rollers attached at 45 deg to the bearing surface, so that one can obtain sideways movement by rotating front and back axles in opposite directions. No "small diameter motorised wheels" involved at all.
Unless you meant that the Mecanum wheel was the one used on Robot Wars, I suppose.
Anonymous Coward
UK law needs changing #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 16:08 GMT
Typically, because it's a wheeled device and it's like the segway in that's motorised it won't be allowed on UK streets and pavements. Not allowed on pavements because it's motorised, and not allowed on roads because it can't be taxed.
David S
Re "Robot Wars" #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 16:08 GMT
As Martin says, the mecanum wheel was developed a little before Robot Wars came about. Plus, the whole rollers-around-the-wheel is passive (the rollers allow side-slip) while Honda's development seems to involve POWERED sideways rollers.
On the whole, this looks extremely cool. Very slick. Also utterly pointless; pretty much anyone could walk faster, powered on nothing more complex than a bowl of cornflakes. Most people who couldn't walk faster would probably crush the device (or be better served by a wheelchair)
Still. Sweet.
Andy ORourke
Mythbusters #
Posted Thursday 24th September 2009 22:25 GMT
I am (almost) certain that I just saw Adam (segway is his preffered method for getting round large, flat spaces) Savage riding a motorised unicycle in the last episode of the latest series aired on Monday or Tuesday this week. (during the bullet dropped vs bullet fired myth)
I admit I'd had a few so it could have been a normal unicycle or something else. I dont recall it looking as nice as the Honda one but I am sure it was motorised in some way and also a unicycle. I remember thinking how cool it looked (not Adam obviously, no matter what devices they use, uber geeks could never really be said to look cool!)
Anonymous Coward
Just what I need. #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 00:15 GMT
I was just thinking I needed something completely pointless like this, and bizarrely, someone's made one.
There's a joke in female circles "What do you give a man who has everything? A blowjob for starters." Now there's something else.
Allan George Dyer
@video #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 06:40 GMT
The riders don't look relaxed or comfortable.
How sensitive is it to upper body movements - would indicating your intention to turn cause the manoeuvre to be performed? Not for road use, then.
Not something to be used after a few beers...
Charles Manning
Twice as revolutionary as the Segway? #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 06:40 GMT
Remember how Segway was going to revolutionise urban transport? Is this better or just as pointless?
Wesley Parish
where's the armour? #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 06:40 GMT
All we need to make this the ultimate in tech warfare is to arm and armour it. Then we'll finally have some robotic overloads - oops, overlords - we can respect.
Anyone care to join the World's First Armed and Armoured Monocycle Antiterrorist Patrol - just the thing for places like Afghanistan under US overloadship?
Anonymous Coward
I'd rather have one of these... #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 07:59 GMT
http://www.yikebike.com
Player_16
Similar to this... #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 08:01 GMT
http://johnhartstudios.com/bc/characters/title_thor.jpg
Sebastian Brosig
@Charles Manning #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 09:36 GMT
maybe just as pointless for you and me. Surely with the manufacturing clout of Honda behind it they can make it cheaper. And they will figure out if there's a market for it and sell it to the right people, be it old folks or warehouses or airports or whatever, applications where not having to walk round on your pins all day will increase your productivity (admittedly a scooter or bicycle is hard to beat for cost-effective productivity!)
garbo
Wheel video #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 09:37 GMT
Nice demo vid of the wheel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt-Kohf86yI
Graham Bartlett
But what are the other thingies? #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 11:25 GMT
Forget the Asimo and the unicycle - what are the other two? The first one looks like a single leg with tracks at the bottom, which is cool. But the second one - is that a pogo stick? Forget yer Segway - I want my electric robot pogo stick for travelling to work!
Ivan Headache
@I'd rather have one of these... #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 11:25 GMT
So would I - but look at the price.
Jocke Selin
Not for me #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 12:17 GMT
I'm not very image concious, but I don't think I'll be riding around on something that makes it look like I'm caressing my bumcheeks whilst riding around.
sig
The photos are always wrong #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 14:25 GMT
The publicity photos of all these kinds of device always show a user who's fit and trim; we all know that the key demographic is idle bunters.
Anonymous Coward
Ceci ne pas une unicycle #
Posted Friday 25th September 2009 15:02 GMT
This is not a unicycle. By definition a unicycle has only 1 wheel, whereas this has multiple wheels arranged in the shape of a large wheel. I was really interested when I saw the article because the problems of automating riding a unicycle are really difficult (it has been done - but not for public use as far as I know). Unicycles are hard to ride mainly because they can travel in only 1 dimension but must balance in 2 dimensions. As such (unless you are really good) you have to maintain a constant state of imbalance in the controllable dimension, so that you can use the forwards and/or backwards movement to balance in the uncontrollable dimension. It's similar to a bike where you have to be moving forwards to balance sideways.
Because this just balances with a simple 2D movement device the control problem is not really much more difficult than a segway, and a lot more dull than a genuine automated unicycle.