The latest version of this one-wheeled wonder uses a 1000-watt motor to propel a rider at speeds up to 10mph down streets and sidewalks. Much like a Segway, it uses a combination of gyroscopes and accelerometers to keep itself upright. It’s got a range of about 12 miles, and takes about 2 hours to fully recharge. It’s also been refined to provide a smoother ride than the original, along with improved turning and faster balance response – which I suppose is a good thing on a vehicle with just a single wheel.

The SBU 2.0 also packs regenerative braking, which stores the energy you normally waste when going downhill or slowing down, giving you a longer ride on a charger. The video below is from back in 2010, but shows off the SBU 2.0 in action.

Apparently, the SBU decreases the learning curve for riding a unicycle from days or weeks down to just about 20 minutes – though I can only imagine it’s not easy to stop or start. Here’s some more recent footage, which gives you a better sense of how one learns how to ride a self-balancing unicycle.

You can order the SBU 2.0 over at Focus Designs website for $1499(USD). There’s an 8-to-12 week lead time if you want one, so keep that in mind if you have dreams of cruising on one of these this Spring or Summer.

[via Gizmag]

The Balancing Cube was developed by Sebastian Trimpe and Raffaello D’Andrea for the Institute of Dynamic Systems and Control. The strange looking robot uses a set of DC motors and sensors attached to six networked balancing mechanisms which allow the robot to constantly maintain an upright position.

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It can balance not only on its corners, but on any edge. It can even keep from tipping over when pushed (gently). Now why you’d need a robot to do this is anyone’s guess. Maybe for a robotic tightrope act?

[via IEEE Spectrum]

Designed by Erik Lanuza, the Taurus is supposed to be the Segway of the future, replacing cars and motorcycles as transportation in the inner city. One thing is for sure: from the looks of the photo above, the future will be sexy.

Honestly, it makes me think more of some kind of kinky sex-horse than anything else. What do you think?

[via Wired]

Murata’s Seiko-chan (Murata Girl) self-balancing unicycle robot first came onto the scene back in 2008, but has recently been upgraded so it can tool along 3 times faster than the original. An ultrasonic sensor and camera help Seiko keep on the straight and narrow, avoiding obstacles along the way.

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Seiko-chan can now turn on a 2-centimeter radius, and can even balance itself on a narrow balance beam (I’d love to see her make her way along a tightrope someday).

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If you happen to be attending the CEATEC show in Japan from October 6th through 10th, you’ll be able to see Seiko-chan up close and personal. Other than getting bloggers like me to write about them, I can’t think of too many practical uses for a balancing unicycle ‘bot, can you?

[via Robonable via Plastic Pals]

Cat Cat Watermelon is a simple series of balance puzzles, charmingly well-presented and quite challenging (to me, at least). And yes, it’s all about building towers of cats and slices of delicious watermelon. Sounds odd? It is, but it’s well worth it for the payoff. Clear one level and see for yourself.

[Cat Cat Watermelon via IndieGames]

The robot uses a “simple switch as a sensor and stands on only two wheels with inverted pendulum mechanism. When the robot is going to fall the motor starts and moves the robot to the direction it is going to fall, so the motor torque about the center of gravity that is higher than the motor makes the robot balanced.” Check out this video to see it in action.

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The maker helpfully put up a tutorial in case you’re inspired to make one of your own! Although I’m not sure why you’d do that, other than to mess with your cat or something.

[via Make:]

The Uno is a self-balancing motorcycle that uses a pair of gyroscopes to constantly keep its rider upright.

Designed by 18-year old inventor Ben J. Poss Gulak (and built with the help of a team of bike builders and engineers), the 120-pound motorcycle is so easy to ride, its only control is a single on-off switch. To ride forward, lean forward, to reverse, simply lean back. The degree to which you lean increases or decreases your velocity. By using a pair of wheels, the bike can also make turns based on your side-to-side movements.

The one-of-a-kind motorcycle was recently demonstrated at the 2008 National Motorcycle Show in Toronto, Canada. Its current whereabouts are unknown, but I’m pretty sure you’ll recognize it if you see it coming down the road.

[Motorcycle Mojo via Nowhere Else]

The spring-loaded PoweriZers amplify the pressure of your jumps enabling you to perform death-defying feats of athleticism.

Now I don’t need to tell you this, but bouncing ten feet in the air on something that combines a pogo stick and stilts isn’t for everyone. PoweriZer’s makers assume that you’re a) physically fit; b) have impeccable balance, and c) aren’t afraid to break a few bones while you learn how to use them.

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You might recognize the PoweriZers from this slick insurance company commercial that was in heavy rotation last year…

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If you’re up for the challenge, they’re available purchase from PoweriZer online. Models range from $329.99 to $429.99 a pair, and must be purchased based on the wearer’s body weight.

Back at the end of 2005, the Institute developed two animatronic dinosaurs (one Tyrannosaurus Rex, one Parasaurolophus) that could actually balance and walk without any external stability systems. This is the first time I’ve seen any footage of them in action, so I thought I’d share it with you:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Every kid’s gonna want one of these. All they’re missing are frickin’ laser beams on their heads.

[via Geekologie]

The patent abstract, titled “Vehicle steerable by movement of center of gravity” describes the invention as follows:

…a vehicle which can travel in the front and back direction and which can turn by right and left wheels rotated when a rider riding on a step-board moves the position of rider’s balance from the center of a vehicle base. A vehicle which can be steered based on movement of balance… it is possible for the rider to run the vehicle in the front and back direction and to turn the vehicle in the left and right direction by only moving rider’s weight.

What’s interesting is that the design might be applicable to other types of transport such as skateboards and roller skates with more than 2 wheels, versus the standing 2-wheel platform design of the Segway. Such a design could potentially open up a broader market for such transportation devices, assuming they could be produced at a lower cost than that of the Segway.

Keep in mind that that inventions are frequently submitted for patent, yet never produced, so I wouldn’t be sure that we’ll see any Sony transportation products out on the road any time soon.

[via NewScientistTech via gizmag]

Here’s a video of the robot in action:

PLEN’s 18 joints can be controlled remotely using a Bluetooth phone and can run for about 25 minutes on a single charge. Created by Systec Akazawa, PLEN is available from Plen Japan for 262,500 Yen (appx. $2220 USD)

[via thisnext]