You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda Unicycle

From the company that gave us the ASIMO robot comes a concept vehicle with just one wheel

Honda

Honda Motor Company has always intrigued us here at LotPro.com. Originally a manufacturer of motorcycles, Honda eventually became the world’s largest manufacturer of them in 1963, while October of 1962 marked the beginning of the company’s foray into four-wheeled vehicles beginning with the T360 pickup and followed shortly thereafter by the S500 sports car.

But it wasn’t until the introduction of the Honda Civic in 1973 and the Honda Accord in 1976 that the company truly started making an impact in the automotive marketplace.

Since those humble beginnings, Honda has evolved into a company whose reach is worldwide and whose technology encompasses such seemingly divergent areas as compact business jets and walking assist devices.

U3-X

Honda’s latest concept “vehicle” falls under the heading of what the company describes as “personal mobility devices”. In the pursuit of “harmony with people”, Honda has developed a small, lightweight (22 pounds), unicycle-type vehicle that is capable of free movement in all directions – forward, backward, lateral and diagonal.

Although it has been described as a Segway-type device, the U3-X would seem to allow a much greater freedom of movement -much like comparing a standard vacuum cleaner to a Dyson, as it were, with the U3-X being the Dyson. Its one drawback would seem to be that the Segway allows the rider to hold on via a handlebar, while on the U3-X, like a unicycle, riders must achieve their own “balance” in order to operate the unit.

In any case, the U3-X allows drivers to adjust speed as well as move, turn and stop in any direction merely by leaning their upper bodies to shift weight. In order to do this, the unit relies on the world’s first (according to Honda) “omni-directional driving wheel system” (Honda Omni Traction Drive System, or HOT Drive System).

Key Features

1. Device control featuring application of balance control technology cultivated through ASIMO research:
The incline sensor detects the incline of the device based on the weight shift of the rider and determines the rider’s intention in terms of the direction and speed. Based on the data, precise control is applied to return the device to an upright position, which achieves smooth and agile movements and simple operation by weight shift only.

2. HOT Drive System (Omni-directional driving wheel system):
Honda developed the world’s first wheel structure which enables movement in all directions including forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally. Multiple small-diameter motor-controlled wheels were connected in-line to form one large-diameter wheel. By moving the large-diameter wheel, the device moves forward and backward, and by moving small-diameter wheels, the device moves side-to-side. By combining these movements the device moves diagonally.

3. Compact and innovative package:

The combination of the balance control technology and the HOT Drive System enabled the one-wheel style compact and innovative package of the device. In addition, the device adopts a light-weight monocoque body in which the foldable seat, footrests and body cover that also function as the frame are stored in the body of the device, achieving highly portable convenience.

Tags: asimo, asimo robot, dyson, Honda, Honda Accord, honda asimo robot, Honda Civic, honda motor company, honda u3-x, honda unicycle, segway, u3-x