Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The company is still working hard to produce this vehicle, and when they are ready you will be able to buy one for about $4,200. They are expected to be available next year. Who wants one? For now, you can get in on the $25,000 Limited Edition pre-production model.

[via redferret]

In order to achieve top speed, the modders had to replace the Segway’s standard wheels with much larger ones. They actually look like wagon wheels to me, but once it gets going, this thing is much faster than an old horse and buggy. I’m not sure what other modifications were necessary to break the Segway’s speed limiting circuitry, but it actually looks surprisingly stable at top speed. Here’s a video of the Super Segway tearing up the roads.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While that’s about as fast as you can make a Segway go with its stock motors, I’d like to see how fast someone could get one to go if they installed a jet engine or something with a bit more oomph.

[via Random Good Stuff via Le Journal du Geek (FR)]

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]

I wanted to make an Iron Man-themed Segway, but unfortunately crimson and gold were not among the colors being offered. If the color that you want is not in the options, you can still ask ColorWare to use it, as long as you know what it’s Pantone PMS number is, and you’re willing to pay an additional $250 (USD) for each custom color. Below is a video showing a all-red ColorWare Segway i2:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Since this service is for one model only, Segway i2 owners can send in their unit for customization for $1,500. You can also buy and customize a brand new Segway i2 from ColorWare for $7,500. Check out ColorWare’s website for more info. I’m amazed that people would be willing to pay that much for this thing. Next thing you know ColorWare’s selling customized (and overpriced) Toyota Priuses.

[via Engadget]

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]

Wheelie doesn’t have any arms, but it uses the inverse pendulum principle to balance itself. The flat surface of its head makes it the perfect butler or waiter, and it’s just big enough to rest some plates on top of its noggin.

Check out the video below to see Wheelie in action. It’s true that this is an area where robots could really help out. Think about all of the robot vacuum cleaners that are cleaning people’s houses.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

With one of these, you could have a robot deliver your TV dinner directly to you, so you don’t have to get your lazy ass off the couch. Now that’s what I call progress!

[via Plastic Pals]

The Cool Rider isn’t quite as schmancy as a Segway, but it still looks like a fun way to get around. The vehicle features a powerful single-wheel drive system that can pull you along the streets at a zippy clip.

The battery-powered motor can hit a top speed of 12 mph, and can run for about an hour per charge. The battery pack is removable too, and plugs into any wall outlet. The other unique thing about the Cool Rider is that you can detach the standing sled from the back and just use it to pull you on your skates or rollerblades.

While the $1250 (USD) retail price isn’t exactly pocket change, the Cool Rider does sell for about 1/4 the price of a Segway. Sold? Then head on over to Opulent Items and plunk down your credit card. While you mull it over, why not watch this Cool Rider video clip…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Gotcha.

BTW, Did you notice that none of the people in the photos are wearing a helmet or knee pads? I don’t know about you, but the whole thing looks just a little bit dangerous to me.  I’d have to bet these things aren’t street-legal anywhere around here.

[via 7Gadgets]

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.

The Air Board floats about 8 inches off the ground. It can go as fast as 15 mph, and will last about an hour on 1.3 gal of gasoline. Two levers on the steering bar control the Air Board’s acceleration and brakes. The rider simply shifts his weight to turn. The Air Board also has a safety switch that kills the engine when the rider jumps off, so even if you’re hurled in front of it you won’t end up being sucked underneath.

The Air Board can be driven “over concrete, asphalt, grass or shallow wet areas, but you cannot hover over water, sand, stones or dirt-filled areas due to the bottomside vacuum.” I found a video that was probably made by the manufacturer. It’s about a year old, and the Air Board used in the video is a prototype, so I guess that explains why some of the information given in the clip isn’t consistent with what I found.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The $14,000 Air Board is sold at the aptly named Opulent Items. It’s in stock, in case you’re interested.

[via 7Gadgets]

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.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

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:]

A.M.P. stands for “Automated Musical Personality”. That’s because the wheeled robot can follow you around and play your tunes wherever you go. When set to tracking mode, the robot will even keep tabs on your location and keep the speakers facing you at all times. The self-balancing 29-inch tall robot rolls along courtesy of a piezoelectronic gyroscope which keeps it from tipping over on its narrow 2-wheel base. There’s also an obstacle avoidance system to keep A.M.P. from bumping into walls or tumbling down the stairs.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

As the ‘bot moves around the room, it’ll “dance” (more like wobble) to the tunes on your connected MP3 player, keeping with the beat – with a bunch of synchronized LEDs blinking all the while. A built in 12-watt amp and a set of three speakers pump out the music. You’ll be able to control the audio mix and a variety of sound effects by interacting with A.M.P.bot’s touch-sensitive mixing pad “hands”.

The A.M.P.Bot will be coming to the States courtesy of Hasbro’s Tiger Electronics this October (it’s available from SegaToys in Japan). Expect it to retail for about $500.

[A.M.P.Bot via SlashGear and Toyology]

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]

California’s Segway Junkyard takes the personal transportation devices and gives them new life with custom paint, metal trim and shiny chrome wheels. They’ve even made a version with a custom diamond plate trailer so you can haul your junk while you tool around town.

I’ve recently moved to a new office, and was debating how I’d get to work each day. I think have my answer now.

[The Red Ferret Journal via Engadget]

Indie Tech’s brilliant Segway Beta T-Shirt is a must have for all hipsters, hipster-doofuses, geeks, dweebs, nerds and generaly cool people. I’ll be plunking down my credit card tonight for one of these $15 shirts.

[via preshrunk via Tcritic]

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]