The laptop sized WalkCar shares similarity with a skateboard
in terms of purpose and operations because it is used without great effort as
all that needs to get it to work is by just standing on it and it starts, step
off it and it stops. Tilt weight towards the left or right to change directions
or and apply pressure forward or backward to go uphill or downhill.
Saito, the 26-year-old engineer said he drew inspiration to
build the WalkCar from the electric motor car control systems. In his words: “I
thought, ‘What if we could just carry our transportation in our bags, wouldn’t
that mean we’d always have our transportation with us to ride on?’” he said.
“And my friend asked me to make one, since I was doing my masters in
engineering specifically on electric car motor control systems.”
No need to worry about parking the WalkCar as it easily fits
into backpacks and handbags. It is made from aluminium and is powered using lithium
batteries as it can be used indoor or outdoor depending on the version
requested for.
Unlike the Segway and Winglet (from Toyota), Saito believes
strongly that his invention is really unique. He said, “Maybe I just see it that way, but it seems to me that the U.S. is
always the one which invents new products and Japan is the one which takes
those products and improves on them to make a better version of it,” Saito
said. “But here in this case, the WalkCar is a totally new product I have
started from scratch. So I also want to show the world that Japan can also be
innovative.”
The WalkCar will be available for pre-order in October this
year, through Kickstarter. Priced at around 100,000yen ($800), it is expected
to start shipping by May next year.
Source: Oddity Central
No comments :
Post a Comment