Toyota has developed a motorized stand-up-and-ride Segway lookalike designed to help people scoot around at malls and airports. Toyota officials insist anyone can learn to ride it with some practice, including the elderly—its major target buyer.
The Winglet goes up to 3.7 mph, about the same speed as pedestrians, far slower than 12.5-mph Segway, which costs $5,000. The Winglet can go about 3 miles before needing to be recharged.
The Winglet is designed to stop easily with little pressure, pivot full-circle, and go smoothly over bumps on roads. And it is designed to respond almost intuitively—moving forward when you lean to the front, and turning when you sway to the right or left, similar to skiing.
Toyota executive Takeshi Uchiyamada, who zipped around on a Winglet as though he was on a skateboard, said the company is experimenting with new ways of mobility as part of a company strategy to spread robotics.
Winglet evolved out of Toyota's takeover of parts of Sony Corp.'s robotics division last year. Sony, reshaping itself under Chief Executive Howard Stringer, decided to focus on electronics and wipe out its Aibo pet robot and other peripheral businesses.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not seeing a great future for this. If a person can’t walk the malls, are they going to be able to operate this piece of equipment?
How many older people, in particular, say, “I can’t even get my DVD or VCR to stop blinking! I could never figure this out!”
Isn’t this what wheelchairs are used for?
What happens after three miles? The battery runs out, are these elderly people supposed to “carry” the device back to their car? Are we thinking they’ll just stop and recharge the batteries for several hours?
My wife and I were at the mall the other day. The aisles in the stores were crowded with displays. The mall itself is now filled with kiosks at every turn. And, just watching the people walking through the mall, talking on their phone or texting on their phone, not paying attention to what they are doing, does that really leave much room for people who can’t walk but want to use this little Winglet?
I don’t think so!
Just another contribution to a lazy, obese country. Now, not only can you spend all day eating horrendously unhealthy mall food, but now you don't even have to walk it off. You can ride from pretzel stand to ice cream stand to cookie shop.
ReplyDeleteThis looks to me like one of those toys for the person who has everything (except the ability to walk very far and for very long). I agree with you Steve on the danger of this thing. i can see the lawsuits piling up even as I write.
ReplyDeleteMichael...you read my mind!
ReplyDeleteWell, Bill, unless they are giving them away, I'll never have enough to waste on this...
ReplyDeleteGeesh, I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time. Couldn't you see me trying to ride one of these?
ReplyDeleteYea, right.
Karma...I'd probably better not comment...after all, can any Vols fan do more than one thing at a time? I think not!
ReplyDeleteoh, I have many many thoughts on this from a variety of perspectives.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to share them - I might be seen as a wingnut. ;)
Camey...that's never stopped the rest of us! Then again, you are much smarter than us!
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteMaybe anti-terrorists will consider the Winglet!
Tony...thanks for passing along that link. Folks, you need to click on the link and see what he's talking about. As I've said before, the news is so weird, you don't need to write about fiction!
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteWhere do I send the money? ;)