Personal Mobility Archive

  • New video shows Honda’s U3-X Personal Mobility Robot in its full prototype glory

    New video shows Honda’s U3-X Personal Mobility Robot in its full prototype glory

    Remember the U3-X Mobility Robot from Honda we blogged about last year? Well, the auto-unicycle is still a prototype, but Honda has just released a new (and pretty interesting) promo video on its official YouTube channel. The company says the U3-X can run continuously for one hour on a single (lithium-ion) battery charge and can be recharged via a conventional 120-volt power outlet.

    Full Story

  • Indoor Personal Mobility Robot (video)

    Indoor Personal Mobility Robot (video)

    It's always good to hear that some robot makers are focusing on the development of machines that actually have the potential of helping people in their everyday life. And the so-called Indoor Personal Mobility Robot, which is particularly geared towards the elderly, is certainly one good example. The main idea behind the robot is to make life easier for people who have trouble moving indoors. It's designed so that you can actually sit in it and, much like a Segway, "drive" around in your house by moving your upper body. Face your body forward, for example, and the robot will move accordingly, and the best thing is that even people who aren't able to use their hands can use it (you can turn around by moving your waist).

    Full Story

  • Honda’s take on the future of personal mobility: The U3-X (yes, the u stands for unicycle)

    Honda’s take on the future of personal mobility: The U3-X (yes, the u stands for unicycle)

    This, according to Honda, is the future of personal mobility. (In the future, walking will be seen as passe and uncool.) It's called the U3-X, and it just debuted in Tokyo. It's sorta like a Segway, but a little less cumbersome (but just as unusual looking to the layman).

    Full Story

  • i-Real: Toyota updates its futuristic tricycle

    i-Real: Toyota updates its futuristic tricycle

    Formerly known as iSwing, Toyota's single-seat personal mobility cars gained worldwide attention back in 2005 when TIME magazine called it one of the ”coolest inventions” of that year. But now Toyota has decided to update the vehicle (by reworking the 4-wheel car into a 3-wheel "chair"), give it a new name (i-Real) and let the Central Japan International Airport near Nagoya test a total of four units on a daily basis.

    Full Story