Future of Engineering
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Monday, June 2, 2008
Uno, The One-Wheeled Electric Unicycle
“The fundamental tech is figured out,” he says. “It just needs the right people to tweak it.”
Ben Gulak
Ben Gulak's Uno is an all-electric unicycle that would emit no fumes. With this eco friendly bike you can weave your wave through traffic effortlessly. To go forward you simply push your body weight forward to tilt the machine. To back up, just lean back on the seat to tilt it backwards and back it goes. The farther you lean, the faster it accelerates.
The trip to Beijing, the city filled with smog-spewing motorbikes inspired him to create the clean and compact Uno. His mission began at a motorcycle shop outside Toronto. Initially he started off with the modification of Yamaha's frame that could accomodate the side-by-side wheels.
As a 17 year old he was able to do these modifications but soon realized that he wasn't well equipped to handle the electronic requirements of an e-bike.
This is where Trevor Blackwell, a robotics engineer steps in. The Uno was fitted with a gyroscope and a control system that manages the suspension and prevents it from slipping out of control. The wheels are placed directly under the rider and during a turn the inside wheel lifts while the outside wheel lowers thus keeping the vehicle stable and firm.
The Uno runs on two wheelchair motors.And it is possible to achieve a top speed of 40 mph but Gulak hasn't taken it above 15mph yet.It has taken two years and $45,000 to create this electric unicycle.
Currently the 19 year old,is expecting help from all quarters to make it more efficient.
Ben Gulak
Ben Gulak's Uno is an all-electric unicycle that would emit no fumes. With this eco friendly bike you can weave your wave through traffic effortlessly. To go forward you simply push your body weight forward to tilt the machine. To back up, just lean back on the seat to tilt it backwards and back it goes. The farther you lean, the faster it accelerates.
The trip to Beijing, the city filled with smog-spewing motorbikes inspired him to create the clean and compact Uno. His mission began at a motorcycle shop outside Toronto. Initially he started off with the modification of Yamaha's frame that could accomodate the side-by-side wheels.
As a 17 year old he was able to do these modifications but soon realized that he wasn't well equipped to handle the electronic requirements of an e-bike.
This is where Trevor Blackwell, a robotics engineer steps in. The Uno was fitted with a gyroscope and a control system that manages the suspension and prevents it from slipping out of control. The wheels are placed directly under the rider and during a turn the inside wheel lifts while the outside wheel lowers thus keeping the vehicle stable and firm.
The Uno runs on two wheelchair motors.And it is possible to achieve a top speed of 40 mph but Gulak hasn't taken it above 15mph yet.It has taken two years and $45,000 to create this electric unicycle.
Currently the 19 year old,is expecting help from all quarters to make it more efficient.
PermaLink - Uno, The One-Wheeled Electric Unicycle posted by Vanessa : 11:55 PM
