If you thought that the familiar self-balancing two-wheeled Segway was a novel idea that had far too few wheels to ever be called stable, even with the clever software that makes it all work, then the OneWheel skateboard (of sorts) will not sit well with you or your inner sense of balance…
Previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014, in Las Vegas, it’s basically a wide wheel with two platforms lying in front of and behind it. One houses the battery while the other houses the electronics that make it all work. Having just passed its crowd-funding phase, it’s now set to ship starting at around $1,200 or more if you want the fast charging kit too.
If you’re ever been on a Segway, you’ll know that that it too is tricky to control at times, and you are always kind of tense when riding it (especially at higher speeds and close to sheer drops…), so imagine what one smaller wheel and an even smaller platform to stand on will do to the experience…
The Engadget reporter that gives it a shot in the video below proves it takes a lot of practice to master. Scroll down and check it out in full.
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO