Urban Transport

Experience omnidirectional float with Honda's first-of-kind XR demo

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Uni-One riders move through real and virtual worlds by shifting their body weight for a "peaceful feeling of floating in the sky"
Honda
Uni-One riders move through real and virtual worlds by shifting their body weight for a "peaceful feeling of floating in the sky"
Honda
Honda sees the Uni-One and VR headset combo being used in clutter-free spaces at theme parks or shopping malls
Honda
The electric Uni-One's dual wheels can move in any direction, with the rider controlling speed and direction by shifting body weight or via a joystick
Honda
Stabilizing arms extend when the Uni-One is at rest, and the drive mechanism lifts the chair up on the two main wheels to move
Honda
The Uni-One comes with a Li-ion battery that's reported good for up to 5 miles of per-charge use at up to 2.5 mph
Honda
Sans VR headset, the Uni-One gives off WALL-E hoverchair vibes
Honda
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Honda has found a new application for its sit-down Segway for lazy shoppers launched last year. The Uni-One is being merged with VR goggles for "a first-of-its-kind extended reality experience that merges the joy of mobility with virtual reality adventures."

Honda has been rolling with uniwheel electric mobility solutions since at least 2009, and we even got to try one out at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show in the shape of the Uni-Cub ß. The latest WALL-E-like seated mobility device was introduced last year as an upcoming rental offering in Japan, though a global rollout was mentioned.

Now it's set to make its US debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas, from March 10 – as part of a Honda XR Mobility Experience. "By combining the unique, physical experience of riding the Honda Uni-One with highly immersive digital entertainment, Honda is creating a brand new multimodal experience that takes extended reality technologies to the next level," said the company's Hirokazu Hara.

Honda sees the Uni-One and VR headset combo being used in clutter-free spaces at theme parks or shopping malls
Honda

The self-stabilizing electric Uni-One features an evolution of the Uni-Cub ß's Omni Traction Drive System that sports two wheels and allows it to move in any direction, with the person in the seat changing direction and speed by shifting weight or using a joystick. The seat can reportedly raise the rider up to 27.6 inches (70 cm) to meet the eyes of a standing friend or lower "to better communicate with those who are seated or small children" at a height of 21.7 in (55 cm).

When demo models were tested at Suzuka Circuit Park in Japan last year, Honda paired the experience with AR technology to make a game of it. Folks attending SXSW will be invited to don a VR headset and lean into a digital adventure, where they "can experience the peaceful feeling of floating in the sky or the exhilarating feeling of gliding along a half-pipe path." As they move through the XR experience, the Uni-One will move too, controlled by shifting their body weight.

Sans VR headset, the Uni-One gives off WALL-E hoverchair vibes
Honda

The hoverchair has a top speed of 3.7 mph (6 km/h), and its Li-ion battery is reckoned good for up to 5 miles (8 km) per charge when cruising at 2.5 mph. It can accommodate a weight capacity of up to 242 lb (109 kg).

Honda envisages the XR Mobility Experience being hosted in obstacle-free indoor and outdoor spaces at theme parks, entertainment hubs and shopping malls. There's no word yet on when that might happen, but you can get a pre-SXSW taste in the video below.

Source: Honda

View gallery - 6 images
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3 comments
Thony
Ok. Stile need a lot of space huh.
Alex Day
Oh my gosh! When I saw the picture without the VR headset, I thought of WallE before I saw the caption on the picture.
Smokey_Bear
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha