Cycling, skating, or hopping onto a scooter is no doubt a faster mode of transportation compared to walking. However, the downside is that you need to bring it around with you and find a place to keep it. There is also the risk of it getting stolen. However, thanks to researchers at the University of Tokyo, they have developed an e-scooter that is inflatable and fits inside of your backpack.
This means that you can deflate it when you get to your location and store it inside your bag. When you’re ready to go, re-inflate it, hop on it, and zoom off to your next location! Dubbed the Poimo, it seems that this scooter can be inflated in just a minute using an electric pump, and it seems to move pretty fast as well.
The scooter will be constructed out of thermoplastic polyurethane which is used to make products like airbeds, so it should be durable enough for a human to sit on it without damaging it. It also sports an electric motor, a battery, and handlebars that feature a wireless controller, with the total setup weighing in at around 5.5kg.
The concept of soft robots aren’t new, so it’s interesting to see the idea applied to vehicles like the Poimo. There is no word on if there are plans to eventually commercialize the Poimo, but sign us up if that ever does happen!
Filed in . Read more about Social Hit and Wearable Tech. Source: bbc