The Future is Now

The Unicycle Goes Electric

Not just for clowns anymore.

Unicycles aren't just for clowns anymore. The Telegraph reports that Honda has unveiled an electric version of the clown-car for the commuters of the future. The sleek, silver figure-eight-shaped U3-X has internal balance control that makes it constantly stand upright, a concept designers borrowed from Asimo, the company's humanoid robot. In order to ride the unicycle, a driver only has to lean slightly in the appropriate direction. The gadget weighs about 20 pounds, stands 25 inches tall, and can attain a maximum speed of 3.7 mph, about the pace of a brisk walk. Target markets for the unicycle, which is still in development, include commuters and the elderly—a major population in Japan, which is the world's most rapidly aging society.