Gizmodo Australia » unicycles

Honda U3-X: An Omnidirectional Segway-Style Unicycle

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:10:09 +0000

Jalopnik just posted this crazy Honda unicycle, the U3-X, with “omni traction drive”. It’s definitely the first personal mobility device that might help you fulfil your lifelong dream of re-enacting Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” video. Pics and details at [Jalopnik]

Self-Balancing Electric Unicycle to Make Clowns, Attention-Seekers Even Less Impressive

Gizmodo US Edition — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:30:00 +0000

The Electric Self-Balancing Unicycle, or SBU, uses gyroscopes, accelerometers, and good clean electric power to make everyone’s favourite one-wheeled method of transport accessible to those who don’t want to bother with all that messy balancing and pedaling. Sure, unicycle purists will scoff, but now you can finally check “ride a unicycle” off your bucket list without wasting any time learning how to actually ride one. [Focus Designs]

Little Seiko Unicycling Robot Caught On Video, Unicycling Straight Into Your Heart

Kit Eaton — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:28:00 +0000

Here’s video of Murata’s Little Seiko balancing robot up to its tricks on a unicycle. It’s a smart little thing: as well as balancing on that single wheel with nifty gyro and counterbalance robotic action, it can do collision avoidance. And boy, if it isn’t the cutest little robot you ever did see. [Bot Junkie]

‘Little Seiko’ Unicycling Robot Looks Like EVE Before She Learned to Hover

John Herrman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:15:00 +0000

To follow up on its bicycling Murata Boy robot, Murata has subtracted a wheel hired a stylist, thrown in a gyroscope and come up with the Seiko-chan or “Little Seiko” unicycling robot. The small robot will be able to move forward and backward on its single wheel, and is even capable of keeping its balance at a standstill. Intended as an educational tool for youngsters, the bot can be controlled with Bluetooth and has a small camera mounted on the front.

Murata claims that Little Seiko is designed to look like a Kindergarten-aged girl, but I can’t help but see the likeness to EVE, WALL-E’s incorrigibly charming onscreen lady interest. The odd, outstretched arms (which are likely vital for balancing) and Pith helmet make the robot a little less endearing than its Pixar counterpart, but the resemblance is undeniable. Little Seiko’s big debut is slated for CEATECH, when we’ll actually get to see this thing in action. [Crunchgear]

Future Victim of Everest to Ride Down Mountain on a Unicycle

Sean Fallon — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +0000

The words “extreme” and “unicycle” should never be uttered in the same breath—unless you are referring to British mountaineer Steve Colligan. Starting next week he will attempt to traverse a 965km stretch of the Himalayas from Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal, via Everest base camp riding on a mountain unicycle.

At 47 years old, Colligan has decided to attempt the record-breaking feat in order to raise money for a school in Nepal (and undoubtedly to become the greatest unicyclist of all-time). He plans on achieving this dangerous feat with his trusty distance unicycle, fitted with an off-road tire. No word on whether he will sport a wig, parachute pants and a clown nose during the attempt. You laugh, but it could help keep him warm up there. [Metro]

Unicycle Transport Vehicle: Like a Segway, Only Lamer and Sweatier

Sean Fallon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:30:00 +0000

This unicycle transport vehicle by designer Regimantas Vegele is tailor made for an unique breed of individual–the kind of person that cares about looking good, but does not care about looking foolish. Essentially, the device would take the concept of an elliptical trainer and turn it into an actual moving vehicle. So travelling would involve pedaling and moving your arms–sort of a hybrid between cycling and cross country skiing. It’s not a bad concept from an exercise standpoint, but I have a hard time believing that there would be any sort of market for something like this.

[Yanko]

Uno: a Unicycle-Motorbike-Segway Hybrid

Gizmodo US Edition — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Sometimes a bike is just a bike… there’s no photoshopping going on here, guys. This is Uno, of course, a segway/motorcycle mashup shown publicly for the first time at the recent Toronto National Motorbike show. Technically it has two wheels, but they’re right next to each other and it does balance on them under its own power.

Built by Ben J. Poss Gulak, it’s an electric vehicle that uses a similar sort of microgyro-motor system as the Segway, but with two gyros: one for forward and back, and one for turning. Its got just one control —a power switch— and everything else is done by leaning, which must make for one hell of an adrenaline-packed ride. It’s the culmination of a number of vehicle projects by Ben, and uses electric propulsion for eco-friendliness, since Ben visited China where he found that “the smog was so thick, we never saw the sun.”

Ben designed the 54kg vehicle himself, using Google SketchUp to help with the plans as he couldn’t afford professional software. How does it perform? We don’t know, but we suspect it’s a lot of fun. And though Ben got some advice from expert motorbike modders, and a robotics expert for the gyro programming, he deserves a round of applause— he’s only 18 years old. And that’s just amazing. [Motorcycle Mojo via Make —Thanks Daniel]

Nimbus Ultimate Wheel is Simplest Unicycle Ever

Seamus Byrne — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:18:25 +0000

Maybe it’s not the simplest, but apart from running on top of a sequoia log, I can’t think of any simpler unicycle than this. $74 will get you the Nimbus Ultimate Wheel with no seat and no chain. However, it comes with lots of free stuff, plus a demo video after the jump.Free stuff like one broken arm, two broken femurs, one tibia, one or both hips, some internal bleeding here and there, probably some brain damage, chronic vertigo from inner ear lesions and a big increase in your health insurance premium. Unless you are one of the people racing on them in this video.

[Nimbus Ultimate Wheel via Geekologie]