Yet again, scratching an itch we didn’t know we had, Japan offers a bolder alternative to Segway. Well technically it’s just a smaller, slower and much fruitier alternative. Apparently the Honda U3-X was built on the “huge success” of the robotic technology used in the ASIMO (the robot famous for its hemorrhoidal walk). The Honda U3-X, however, dwarves the Segway in its pointlessness. Is that even a real word?! It’s a figure 8 shaped gadget with fold out pedals and fold out seat. The seat is a two part contraption – one for each ass cheek. This silver unicycle travels at up to 3.7 mph, and only has enough juice to run for up to one hour. I would be a total douche bag if I didn’t mention the one cool thing about the U3-X – because of its funky construction, the one “wheel” is actually comprised of several small ones allowing for complete swerve-ability! Honda is pitching this thing as a prototype with no immediate rollout plans, however they are mentioning their target audience – the elderly. Looks like Japan may have found the Final Solution to their rapidly aging demographic – it involves putting notoriously limber and acrobatically inclined octogenarians onto rickety robotic unicycles.
Videos of the Honda U3-X after the break.
