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Comment by dazzawazza | Hacker News Reader

A part of me thinks that Honda has solved the problem of walking. Something evolution solved a long time ago. The evolved solution also allows us to go up steps!

While it's cool it seems like there is a long way to go before it's useful/cost effective.

None of the above undermines the technology btw, just the application.

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Another thing about this particular execution is that it is still not cool. It's even worse than the conventional segway: you necessarily sit shorter than everyone around you which will make an impact. We as a species favor tall individuals on a subconscious level (think of US presidents). Whatever alternate mode of locomotion is to be created, it needs to be cool. Think jetpacks.

I actually think that it's better than the Segway for making you slightly shorter. One of the problems with the Segway is that the increased height (and width) makes you so conspicuous as to practically be flaunting your use of it, and how independent you are from the lowly ambulating masses.

Whereas someone riding a Vespa can still come off as cool. (Though they'll immediately look silly next to someone on a Harley.)

Well, yes. Someone sitting lower than others around him/her is not necessarily bad: think driving a Ferrari vs walking down the street. But this thing does not look cool. It looks more like you are somehow incapacitated (I think some other comments mention knee injuries). Even a hover chair from the Austin Powers movies would be better. Jetpacks would be ideal.

I agree with you. I don't think this thing is going to take off as a mainstream transportation device. I just think it's less awkward than the Segway.

Yes, it seems like it won't go as fast as a Segway, so it will just make you look lazy.

"Do you have a knee injury?"

I could see a device with two "legs" like this being optimal for some tasks. It could ideally walk up stairs, or skate along flat surfaces.

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