Technabob » motorized

spnKIX Motorized Skates Let You Fly Down the Sidewalk at 10mph

Range — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:00:52 +0000

Just what we need – a new way for people to injure themselves while speeding down the street. These motorized skates strap directly onto your ordinary shoes and turn them into spnKIX. These skates are controlled via a wireless remote, and will allow users to roll around at around 10 mph. I’m sure someone will hack them to go even faster.

spnKIX were designed by Peter Treadway from JPWorks. The skates have motorized wheels on each side, with a battery pack situated on the back of each unit. A battery charge is supposed to last two or three miles, and the batteries can be removed so users can swap them. It takes 2 hours to charge them up.

A nylon frame secures them to each of your shoes, and they even come with some training wheels to help you with your balance when first trying them out. You control spnKIX using a hand-worn remote control throttle, which lets you easily vary their speed.

For now, spnKIX are trying to get funded through Kickstarter, and has a goal of raising $25,000 for them to go into production. They expect to roll them out in March 2012, and a pledge of $375 (USD) gets you a pair. Retail price will be $649, so that’s a significant discount.

[via designboom]

LANDBEARSHARK Motorized Skateboard with Treads: Another Way to Die?

Range — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:00:41 +0000

Ever since I first saw motorized skateboards, I always thought that there were a really great way to get around. Now that I’m older and saner, I know for a fact that these contraptions can’t be too safe, especially when you don’t have many ways of slowing down. This particular motorized skateboard was created by The Miters from MIT, and it premiered at the World Maker Faire in New York.

Charles Guan is the one who rides this thing (designed, created, and built it as well), and it gets around on a pair of treads, which makes it different than wheeled boards, and lets its passenger ride off-road. The skateboard boasts a custom drivetrain, 500-watt hours of lithium batteries inside of it, and a 1HP motor to tug you around. Top speed is 15 to 20mph, which isn’t bad.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The LANDBEARSHARK tread skateboard still needs a remote control to function for now, but Charles thinks that once this thing is perfected, it will do without.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Make:]

The Self-Stirring Mug: Pure Genius

Range — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:14:09 +0000

I’ve been off sugar for the second year in a row, but I can still remember how my mom used to chastise me for making lots of noise in the mornings when I stirred my tea when I was growing up. Spoons? That’s so 20th century! Get into the new millennium with this self-stirring mug!

This mug stirs itself, so that you can enjoy your hot drinks, even when you’re super lazy. All you need to do is press a button on this mug and voilà! It works for cream, sugar, and hot chocolate. It comes with a handy spill-proof lid. It needs 2 AAA batteries to function.

It’s available on Amazon and ThinkGeek for $19. All that I need now is a self-heating, self-stirring mug and I’m golden.

[via GeekAlerts]

Mega Hurtz Tactical Robot Means Business

Technabob — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:27:20 +0000

Most of the time when I think of robots, I think of tame little droids like R2-D2 and Asimo. But this robot-on-wheels means serious business.

Created by Chris Rogers of Inspector Bots, the Mega Hurtz Tactical Robot is an seriously amped-up robotic vehicle, with enough torque to pull a 4700 pound Hummer H3. It’s designed for handling dangerous situations too hostile or difficult for humans to handle.

The Mega Hurtz has a sturdy steel frame, and powers along with a set of stealthy electrical motors. Not only is it rugged enough to handle off-road terrain, it can turn on a dime. It’s strong enough to break through cinder-block walls.

And if that’s not bad-ass enough, the ‘bot can be fitted with a tactical weapons system with laser targeting and IR night vision. Oh yea, you can control the entire thing remotely using a set of VR goggles.

Here’s a video Mega Hurtz being put through its oh-so-awesome paces:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Ok, that was the best video I’ve seen since Keyboard Cat. And if you didn’t make it all the way to the end of the clip, jump to the 5 minute mark to see Mega Hurtz go postal on a watermelon, and then turn into a killing machine worthy of Cyberdyne Systems Machine of the Year award.

[via Yanko Design]

Flyrad is the Love Child of Segway and a Unicycle

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:58:26 +0000

It took me years to recognize that many asshats have no idea just how asshatty they really are. Take my cousin for instance; he once had a unicycle he wanted to show off on in front of some girls when we were about eight. As you can imagine, things didn’t go well with him crushing his gonads between the wheel and seat post and smacking his face in the dirt. It was epic and I still laugh about it each time I see him.

I took that as a valuable lesson that unicycles are the devil, and never tried to ride one myself. A dude has come up with a new modern looking unicycle with a touch of Segway DNA that looks cool and I might actually try this one. You don’t have to balance on the thing, you sit on it and it balances with the help of your weight it seems. The front wheel is battery powered and you balance with rollerblades and zip around.

The thing is called the FlyRad (German), and the adult size has a 500W electric motor and a 36V battery. The thing is good for about 31 miles per charge at 25 mph. A kid’s version and a version for teens is also available. If you are really into speed, you can opt for a 1000W motor and bigger battery for more power.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If you ride one, wear a cup – Unicycle + asshatery x 25mph = eunuch. You were warned.

[via GizMag]

LEGO Circular Saw With Real Blade

Technabob — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:22:34 +0000

Keep your fingers and hands away from this LEGO creation, which features an actual motorized spinning saw blade.

Created by Dave and John Zandegar, the “Cutmaster Pro” has a LEGO brick structure, but a 9-volt battery powers the spinning saw blade and could definitely looks like it could do some damage in the wrong hands. Check out the video below to see it in action:

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They’ve removed the sharpest points on the blades, and set up a safety mechanism to auto-stop if touched, but I wouldn’t want to be the one to test if that works. I’d like to keep all of my digits.

[via Brothers Brick]

News Concept Motor Add-on Turbocharges Wheelchairs

Lambert Varias — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:06:39 +0000

Motorized wheelchairs, while very practical, are very expensive as well. Designer Ju Hyun Lee created the NEWS concept to reap the benefits of a motorized wheelchair without the prohibitive costs. The motorized add-on would attach to conventional wheelchairs, fusing man and machine, Power Xtreme!

The system’s modular nature saves money in two ways: first of all, it’s cheaper than a full motorized wheelchair. Second, medical institutions won’t have to buy one add-on for every wheelchair; they can just share the add-ons among their patients. The sleek and sexy look doesn’t hurt.

What do you guys think? Is it a practical idea?

[via Yanko Design]

LEGO Technic Bugatti Veyron Can Actually Drive, has Real Working Transmission

Range — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:06:31 +0000

Although there aren’t many people who can afford the world’s most expensive car, the Bugatti Veyron, there are probably quite a few people who can buy a few LEGO Technic kits in order to build a smaller Veyron – assuming they had the LEGO-building skills.

This build is by Spanish LEGO-maniac Sheepo, and it looks like it sports all of the classic lines of the original, plus a few extra surprises under its tiny hood.

Sheepo’s Veyron is 1:8th scale of the real car. It also has a fully functional seven-speed gearbox, retracting spoiler, independent suspension and more features that make the Veyron a unique car.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The page that he created for this build has a bunch of photos, videos and more details about this incredible miniature Veyron.

[via Brothers Brick]

Awesome LEGO Avatar Helicopter With a Hidden Twist

Range — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:28:22 +0000

If you didn’t already have enough of James Cameron’s Avatar, you can get more of it thanks to this awesome LEGO Avatar Battle Helicopter. Before you start drooling, there’s more to it than meets the eye, so read on!

This thing has got doors that open, a sort of hydraulic cargo door, and get this, the blades actually work thanks to a small LEGO motor. That’s not all. There is this joystick in the middle of the roof of the helicopter that lets you control the orientation of the four helicopter blades. It’s amazing.

This model was built by Barman and I think that it could easily be transformed into a fully working R/C helicopter. I can just imagine how maneuverable it would be. Check out the video to be astounded!

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[NoWhereElse via CrunchGear]

Altered Electric Skateboards for Real Speed Demons

Technabob — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:38:14 +0000

Back when I was a kid, I tried to get on a skateboard a couple of times. But just about every time I did, I couldn’t manage to build up enough momentum to ride for more than a few seconds without wiping out. Up until now, there was no other choice for me but to pick up a video game controller and live vicariously through Tony Hawk.

Then along came Altered with their crazy self-propelled electric skateboards.

With models ranging from the off-road capable Green Machine 2.0 to the more traditional looking zebrawood Big Dream, each board has a unique personality.

Most models run on a hefty 36-volt rechargeable battery pack, which powers a belt-driven electric motor. While you’re in motion, you can adjust your speed using a wireless handheld throttle control.

The high-end (600-watt) models can hit 19 to 20 MPH without breaking a sweat, while the entry-level Wombat (250-watt) tops out at 12 MPH.

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Prices range from $599 to $799 for the beefy 600-watt models, with the 250-watt Wombat selling for just $399. Altered just recently took the wraps off their 2009 editions and expects to start shipping most models before the holidays. You can check out the full line over at Altered Electric Skateboards.

Tomy I-Sobot Shoots an Arrow Straight Through My Heart

Technabob — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:45:43 +0000

Tomy’s i-SOBOT mini robot has been receiving raves for it’s cool moves and programmability. This recent clip from Robots Dreams shows off the talented little robot doing his best bow and arrow work.

While I wouldn’t necessarily let the pint-sized robot shoot an apple off of my head, I’m still pretty impressed by the motion capabilities of the little guy.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

For those of you unfamiliar with Tomy’s i-SOBOT, the 6.5-inch tall robot offers an amazing range of movements, with over 200 pre-programmed moves, plus the ability to string them together into complex choreography. Plus, the i-SOBOT doesn’t just walk the walk, he talks the talk, with over 200 words and phrases built in as well.

You can find Tomy’s i-SOBOT over on Amazon for around $200.

Cooler Scooter Chills Drinks at 14 Mph

Technabob — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:31:33 +0000

With football season in full swing, why not arrive at your next tailgate party in style? This ride-on cooler not only speeds you along to your destination, it’ll keep your drinks and snacks nice and chilled on the way.

This rechargeable electric scooter holds up to 24 cans of your favorite beverages, along with 8 pounds of ice right under your bum. There’s even a cup holder right between your legs so you can have a can of the cold stuff for yourself. If sitting on a cooler doesn’t sound very comfortable to you, there’s an optional padded seat that bolts on for about $30.

The three-wheeled vehicle can hold up to 300lbs and propel you down the road at up to 14 miles per hour. You’ll be able to drive about 15 miles on a single charge. While I’m not certain if this thing is street-legal, it’s probably fine for tooling around the parking lot at the stadium, delivering cold brews to your buddies.

You can find the 14 M.P.H. Cooler at Hammacher Schlemmer for $499.95.