The brainchild of engineer James Brunton, the Screw-Bike is a self-balancing electric bike that sits on four omnidirectional mecanum wheels. The amount of engineering that went into building the bike staggers my mind. Although, if I’m being completely honest, my mind doesn’t take much to be staggered.
The Screw-Bike utilizes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to constantly monitor and report the bike’s specific force and angular rate using accelerometers and gyroscopes. The wheels make automatic adjustments to keep the bike upright. A bike that can’t fall over? That’s just what I need. Also, a bike that can run my errands for me while I relax at home.
Is the Screw-Bike practical for travel? Absolutely not. But it is a marvel of modern engineering, and I’m sure the technology could be used for a more useful application. I’m not sure what that application is, but my guess is that it involves autonomous robots. Just hopefully not autonomous killer robots.
[via TheAwesomer]
With over 17 years of writing experience, Jonathan has had a passion for all things tech-related, ever since watching Inspector Gadget as a child. He's disassembled countless appliances and managed to put a few back together, and one still works. When not writing, he can often be found playing video games or accidentally hurting himself in the garage.