- News>
- Technology
World`s first `self-balancing` electric unicycle
A student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has invented the first `self-balancing` electric unicycle.
London: A student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has invented the first “self-balancing” electric unicycle.
Bullet, invented by Stephan Boyer, is like a mini Segway as the user has to lean forward to go faster and back to brake.
However, Boyer has admitted that it’s so hard to drive that not even his unicycling friends got to grips with it.
“Unfortunately, one cannot simply pick up a self-balancing unicycle and ride it with ease,” the Daily Mail quoted Boyer as writing in his blog.
“It took me several hours to be able to ride in a straight line without crashing, and it took several days to learn how to turn in a controlled manner. Many of my friends have tried riding it, usually with little success including some actual unicyclers,” he said.
The reason for it being tricky to ride is because while it will automatically self-right if it tips too far forward or back, it can fall over to the side while being ridden.
What it lacks in ease of use, however, it makes up for in speed and endurance. Flat out the unicycle can hit 15mph and can travel for five miles on a single charge.
The creator has dubbed it the “bullet” and has released YouTube footage of him riding the device up and down an MIT corridor to show off its performance. He added that the unicycle comes with a “kill switch” that turns off the motor should panic set in. ANI
Bullet, invented by Stephan Boyer, is like a mini Segway as the user has to lean forward to go faster and back to brake.
However, Boyer has admitted that it’s so hard to drive that not even his unicycling friends got to grips with it.
“Unfortunately, one cannot simply pick up a self-balancing unicycle and ride it with ease,” the Daily Mail quoted Boyer as writing in his blog.
“It took me several hours to be able to ride in a straight line without crashing, and it took several days to learn how to turn in a controlled manner. Many of my friends have tried riding it, usually with little success including some actual unicyclers,” he said.
The reason for it being tricky to ride is because while it will automatically self-right if it tips too far forward or back, it can fall over to the side while being ridden.
What it lacks in ease of use, however, it makes up for in speed and endurance. Flat out the unicycle can hit 15mph and can travel for five miles on a single charge.
The creator has dubbed it the “bullet” and has released YouTube footage of him riding the device up and down an MIT corridor to show off its performance. He added that the unicycle comes with a “kill switch” that turns off the motor should panic set in. ANI