The Japanese have mastered the field of robotics in every aspect of human assistance. There are gadgets for entertainment, household appliances, and the previously seen humanoid, ASIMO. In a more recent event, Honda Motor Co. has unveiled the UNI-CUB, a reality from comics of a personal mobility device.
It lets you glide on the floor, while controlling the speed and direction by merely shifting your weight. Honda describes the UNI-CUB as ‘designed for harmony with people’ and it gives the same freedom on a floor as would walking.
A development over the U3-X motorized unicycle that was introduced in 2009, the UNI-CUB features a saddle on a robust base with an omni-directional drive wheel, giving the rider a relative height to other pedestrians.
Designed to roll on office floors, malls and parks, the UNI-CUB runs on electric drive powered by a lithium-ion battery. This enables the device to roll 6 km on full charge, with a top speed of 6 kmph.
Honda announced the demonstration of the mobility device to commence by June with the Japanese National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. What’s up next? A bot to take your dog for a walk?