SpnKix can hit top speeds of 16km/h for roughly 15 minutes. Picture courtesy SpnKix Source: Supplied
- Funded by Kickstarter
- Available in February in the US
- CES 2012 - all the latest, live from Las Vegas
YOU'D think gliding down the sidewalk in a pair of motorised shoes would be easy. But it�s harder than it looks.
If you don't believe, maybe soon you'll get to find out for yourself.
A US industrial designer has developed motorised skates called ?SpnKiX? that strap right on to your shoes, allowing wearers to glide to their destination at up to 16km per hour. They're like mini-Segways for your feet.
The technology has a pretty steep learning curve -�creator and founder Peter Treadway told news.com.au the SpnKiX are not for the lazy.
?Most people when they see it all working and they try it, they get that that you've got to apply yourself a little bit.?
So they're nifty, right? Actually, not everyone's a fan.
?There was one guy that walked by earlier that was just shaking his head angrily saying ?how could you have bought humanity to this level where you need a machine to take you down the sidewalk??" Mr Treadway said.
"But really this is about enjoying yourself, getting out where you might otherwise be in a car or at home.
"This is not to replace walking. You have to learn to do it.?
Mr Treadway says films and the technology of pop culture myth inspired him to create the SpnKiX.
?I have been asking the same questions all of you have been asking: Where are our flying cars? Where are the jet packs? Where are my motorised shoes?,? Mr Treadway wrote on the Kickstarter website in a bid to crowdsource funding for his shoes.
The designer said the technology was perfect for places like Los Angeles where public transport is often difficult to access. (Or Sydney, where public transport doesn't work.)
His mad idea was good enough for the Kickstarter crowd, which has so far happily chipped in more than US$75,000.
NEWS.com.au strapped itself in for a ride. Mr Treadway wasn't kidding when he said you have to learn how to use them.
In fact, The SpnKiX could actually help get you into shape.
Here?s how it worked for us:
If you to see SpnKix in action minus the awkwardness, check them out at www.spnkix.com. We recommend it.
So, motorised shoes, eh? How do they work then?
The skates are powered by a rechargable lithium battery (one for each shoe) and controlled by a wireless remote that users can strap to their hand and use to control their speed.
Sadly, the batteries don?t last very long - two-to-three hours of charging for every three-to-four km of travel. AT 16km an hour, that will get you about 15 minutes down the road.
Also, the life of the battery will depend on the angle of the surface users are skating on. Downhill will naturally require less battery life than uphill.
For wobbly first-timers, the skates come with training wheels. They're also fitted with brakes similar to the ?stopper? on rollerskates.
And at the moment, they ain't cheap - about US$650.
But unlike hoverboards and Air Kicks, they are a reality. The first line will be available mid-February, so the designer says to expect delivery by March of this year.
0 comments:
Post a Comment