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ewheels - future of urban transportation?


Daan

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Maybe, but it looks like these guys can see the possibilities of teaming up with some eWheel manufacturers: data on the phone is not a good real-time interface, the rider is task-loaded as it is, predicting the random movements of zombie mobile users, without have to glance at their phone every couple seconds :unsure:

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I just pulled the numbers out of my head, but made them at least somewhat realistic (like calculating the power from the voltage & current and RPM from the speed with my tire circumference). The picture was made in Paint.Net by taking a couple of frames off from one my videos, and adding a layer with the texts, then applying "Glow" -effect on the text-layer.

Although not a HUD in a helmet, we're working on little something to get this kind of stuff: ;)

It's still just a prototype I made on top of the BluetoothChat-example in very early stages (I've never done Android-development before, so I'm learning as I'm going...), so don't hold your breath  ;)  hobby16's working on the hardware-side, and we've got a collaborative-project for the app between few people.

 

keep it up esaj and let us know when ur ready to market this stuff! i'll b one of your first customers! my childhood dream, it's finally becoming a reality!!

hqdefault.jpg

i really want one tho and i think showing the data you guys are talking about in a easy to view way is great value added

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I think that even just the speed and distance is enough to make it useful.

That's all that I'm getting across to my pebble time from Endomondo and it already means I'm only taking my phone out of my pocket for photos and video.

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Idea about using Oru&Airhweel was to make the transition to kayaking as fast as possible. It takes about 25 minutes to get to water and 20 minutes to get back.

Sorry for slow edit, this kind of video is the one I would like to see when I think about buying Oru.

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I bought my wheel because I was looking for an alternative mode of transportation to commute between home and the office. I have a small 3,1 Km between them. Sometimes it takes me more than 17 minutes with my car. That's ridiculous. With my wheel, I will use the empty sidewalks !!! Cool !!

Bleu9mm

Snap. Same for me... and the look on co workers faces... priceless

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I see a lot of comments about the weight being too much to carry when shopping, at theatres etc... what about locking to a bike rack? I get that locks can be cut pretty easily, but maybe a bike thief doesn't know how to ride a EUC :D

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I see a lot of comments about the weight being too much to carry when shopping, at theatres etc... what about locking to a bike rack? I get that locks can be cut pretty easily, but maybe a bike thief doesn't know how to ride a EUC :D

RIght -- I actually just bought a u-lock to secure my wheel; nevertheless, I would feel more comfortable bringing it with me :ph34r:

But still, if eWheels are to catch on, I still feel they are too heavy; I am envisioning within an urban environment a sort of 'laptop' vehicle -- super easy to carry and bring along. Current eWheels are so heavy that carrying only works for short distances.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Highlight for today, two men talking when I passed them in Oulu Rotuaari:

"Oh, these youngsters have nowadays these all kinds of wheels".

I will gladly be a "youngster" :)

I'm a 53 years old youngster :D

I see a lot of comments about the weight being too much to carry when shopping, at theatres etc... what about locking to a bike rack? I get that locks can be cut pretty easily, but maybe a bike thief doesn't know how to ride a EUC :D

Just add a handle and the EUC will follow your hand. You no need to lift it.

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It is not reasonable to count co2 emissions for cycling or walking because they keep you more fit than EUC. I would like an EUC that I can generate power myself but it does not exist.

Of course it exists - it is called a unicycle and predates the electric variety by around a century.

But to get into the 20 km/hr range you will need either a large (typically 36 inch) wheel, or an expensive hub with an internal multiplying gear.

A folding bike would be cheaper and more practical, if less fun.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 10/27/2015 at 9:55 AM, Chrisxr2 said:

All down to battery technology, when you can fast charge your Euc like a tesla then they will really take off.

I doubt that this is necessary. I have never run into the problem to wait for charging even once. I usually don't even take a charger with me, and I would assume that this is, and will be, the case for most people that are going to use an EUC. Standing upright for several hours with only short breaks in between isn't that comfortable as transportation means, hence fast charging is a non-issue. What will determine the rate of growth will be the price. Though I believe that even without any change in pricing EUCs are going to flood the market, as the price-performance ratio is already pretty comparable to that of bicycles.

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9 hours ago, Jurgen said:

How much extra did the pony tail cost:D

The "cost" was about 6-7 years maybe, before it reached that length for the first time. ;) It has been cut three times since, 20-30cm at a time.

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It seems that more people in Finland buy these hoverboards than unicycle which is a shame.

There are many places that are two narrow for two hoverboards. What happens when two hoverboards have to pass each other?

Hoverboards are lame. Don't ride the donkeys, choose a horse.

 

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On 16. huhtikuuta 2016 at 8:43 AM, MarkoMarjamaa said:

It seems that more people in Finland buy these hoverboards than unicycle which is a shame.

There are many places that are two narrow for two hoverboards. What happens when two hoverboards have to pass each other?

Hoverboards are lame. Don't ride the donkeys, choose a horse.

 

I just bought Airwheel X3 as my first EUC. And will try to spread the word here in Finland. I think quite soon there will be someone else also wheeling as I'm planning to upgrade and give this one to somebody. Trying to convince my wife to ride it, but currently she only agrees to be near me when I'm wheeling. But this already is a big improvement as first there was only yelling how stupid I'm buying this...

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Has anyone compare the efficiency between an EUC and a e-scooter?  The EUC must be designed to handle the balancing and so there is a minimum requirement for the motor power, which means that the motor must be more heavy than that of a e-scooter.  Also because of the balancing act, an EUC will take more power than an e-scooter, which means that it needs a bigger battery to travel the same distance.  Regenerative brake can apply to both, but e-scooter has an added mechanical brake for redundant safety.  An e-scooter is also more narrow than an EUC to zip around narrow streets.  I think the only advantage of an EUC as a short distance urban transportation is its compactness and handsfree.  But I still want to learn EUC now because I think that due to technology advances, in a few years, EUC will be so thin, so light, and so cheap that it is just the size of a small bicycle wheel.  When that day comes, the EUC will be so popular that eveyone should know how to ride it. 

 

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5 hours ago, hyiu00 said:

Has anyone compare the efficiency between an EUC and a e-scooter?  The EUC must be designed to handle the balancing and so there is a minimum requirement for the motor power, which means that the motor must be more heavy than that of a e-scooter.  Also because of the balancing act, an EUC will take more power than an e-scooter, which means that it needs a bigger battery to travel the same distance.  Regenerative brake can apply to both, but e-scooter has an added mechanical brake for redundant safety.  An e-scooter is also more narrow than an EUC to zip around narrow streets.  I think the only advantage of an EUC as a short distance urban transportation is its compactness and handsfree.  But I still want to learn EUC now because I think that due to technology advances, in a few years, EUC will be so thin, so light, and so cheap that it is just the size of a small bicycle wheel.  When that day comes, the EUC will be so popular that eveyone should know how to ride it. 

 

e-scooters are balanced like EUCs.

If you shut e-scooters power, can you stand on it?

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On ‎2016‎-‎04‎-‎30 at 3:15 PM, MarkoMarjamaa said:

e-scooters are balanced like EUCs.

If you shut e-scooters power, can you stand on it?

I am talking about e-scooter like the Etwow, Inokim, Zero, Airwheel Z3, Z5, etc. with two wheels, front and back.  Not the Segway derived products.

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But I think the major reason for those who choose an EUC over an e-scooter is its pure convenience and simplicity.  There is no need to fold/unfold the metal bar here and there, just pick it up or step on it and go.  So I think what is best really depends on how people make their daily commute.  For those that only need to pack/unpack a few times a day, e-scooter is probably better.  But if you need to pack/unpack many times, like travelling from station to station for public transporation transfer, or travelling from classroom to classroom to attend classes, then definitely EUC is the best.  But putting too much safety gear on also defeats the purpose of convenience and simplicity.  I would rather have a default low speed limit for safety purpose.

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