technabob » seat

yikebike: the sitting man’s segway

technabob — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:28:41 +0000

The YikeBike is a new electric transport vehicle coming from New Zealand. The compact personal transporter features an innovative design that can speed you along through city streets and country roads without ever requiring you to stand up.

The sit-down electric YikeBike tops out at 20km/hr (appx. 12 MPH). An electric chainless drive powers the bike up to 10 kilometers (appx. 6 miles) on a quick 30 minute charge. While that’s not a ton of range, it’s certainly enough for most urban commuters to get to and from work. It’s also great for short haul travel from public transportation sites like trains and buses.

And thanks to an innovative lightweight folding carbon composite frame, you can carry the YikeBike up to your office during the day for a recharge (and to protect it from theft on the street). The whole thing weighs just 9.8 kg (appx. 21 lbs.) which means it won’t break your back carrying it around either.

If you can get past the annoying song in this commercial, the YikeBike actually looks pretty cool…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Here’s a better (and far less irritating) video that shows off the YikeBike being put through its paces on a variety of challenging terrains. It’s surprisingly agile, given its unassuming looks.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Expect the YikeBike to start shipping sometime in 2010. Final pricing hasn’t been set yet, but it’s likely to run between €3500 and €3900 (appx. $5180 to $5772 USD). You can reserve one now with a €100 (appx. $148 USD) deposit here.

led chairs light up your backside with color

technabob — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:29:47 +0000

Perfect for lighting up your drab living space, these Léon and Max chairs from French designer Philippe Boulet light up using color-changing RGB LEDs inside the seats, backs, and armrests. And best of all, they’re not tacky in the least.

scooterdesk puts your laptop on wheels

technabob — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:57:20 +0000

Here’s a unique computer desk design. The ScooterDesk is a self-contained workstation which lets you sit and scoot around your office without leaving your desk.

Created by the Belgian sustainable furniture design firm Utilia, the ScooterDesk gives you a solid work surface for your laptop, and lets you sit in a comfortable upright position while you work. The desk is also available in a dual version which lets you sit side-by-side with another person. Assuming you can agree on what direction to go in, the dual model could be a good idea for pair-programming teams.

While I don’t think you could sit on a bicycle seat all day while working at your computer, it’s an cool idea for quick tasks like filling out forms, taking meeting notes or sending the occasional e-mail.

[Yanko Design via Le Journal du Geek]

usb gadget reminds you to watch your posture

technabob — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 04:12:03 +0000

If you have a tendency to slouch when working at your computer like I sometimes do, you might want to think about this little gadget that’s been around in Hong Kong for a while, but just now hitting our shore thanks to Chinese gadget exporter, Brando.

The Visomate is a little LED device that plugs into your USB port and keeps watch on the position of your