We’re sure you know the Eurofighter Typhoon, the jointly-developed European answer to the challenge of making a modern multirole fighter airplane. It’s a very agile aircraft, thanks to the fact that it was engineered to be stable, and computers control the movement and angle of its canards and ailerons so as to keep it going straight, or turning on a dime.

If the computers were to fail, even if there was nothing structurally wrong with the fuselage or wings, and the engine would still be running, it would fall out of the sky very rapidly, out of control. This same approach, albeit in a much more simplified form made the creation and success of the Segway possible – all you need is a great idea and the software to back it up.

Now, the Frankfurt motor show was the venue where the S-Walker Board was revealed, a project that blends the clever idea behind the Segway, with the extra mobility and freedom of movement offered by a regular skateboard.

Its makers say it’s good for a top speed of 10 km/h or 6 mph, and can carry an adult of up to 80 kg (175 lbs) for up to 20 km / 12 miles. However, maintaining said top speed requires experience, but 6 km/h or 4 mph can be kept with far greater ease, according to the company CEO, Reiner Lang.

It doesn’t look too fast at the moment, but at least the rider stays on, and is able to steer, stop and move forward merely by shifting his weight, just like with the Segway. However, the latter had the benefit of the handlebars that were used for steering input, and they were something for the rider to hold on too. But, like we previously mentioned, it’s really all down to the software, so if the people behind the project are as good at coding as they are at combining the concepts of skateboards and Segways, then the project should progress along nicely.

By Andrei Nedelea

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