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Bombardier's Embrio: Sexier Segway?

Posted by timothy on from the for-modern-clowns dept.

Ridgelift writes "Articles at Wired News, Popular Science, and Forbes are covering Bombardier's Embrio. It's a single-wheeled, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, gyroscopically balanced concept vehicle. While the Segway tops out at 6 mph, the Embrio 'hits 35 mph in the learning mode alone.' Very cool -- looks like something straight out of 'Minority Report.'"

15 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. Hope the power supply lasts by MacFury · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Crusing along on a Segway and having the thing die would be bad enough at 12mph. Speeding down the street at 35mph in this thing, only to have it's sensors bust would give you a serious case of road rash.

    All the same I bet it's a fun ride.

  2. from bombadier.com by jbellis · · Score: 4, Insightful
    The Bombardier EMBRIO Advanced Concept is a one-wheeled recreational and commuting vehicle that promises a whole new experience on the road. Aimed at the 18 to 45 age group, this advanced concept prefigures the kind of user-friendly, minimalist vehicles we might be seeing - and using - on our urban, suburban and country roads in the year 2025.
    I don't think they're planning on starting mass production any time soon, guys. :P
    1. Re:from bombadier.com by 56ker · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yep - the wired.com article agrees with you:-

      "The company won't speculate as to when Embrio will hit the market -- if ever."

      --


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  3. Stopping distance by Camel+Pilot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I noticed no specs on stopping distance. Just from the physics of a unicycle wouldn't rapid stopping be a problem?

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    1. Re:Stopping distance by stmfreak · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I imagine the acceleration and deceleration are limited by the gyroscope's mass and reactiveness.

      As a regular motorcyclist, I'd like to think that high-delta-v isn't required for commuting because 99% of the time I don't use it. But I would never give up the potential of a solid braking system with a large cantilevered countermass. There have been moments when it was the difference between life and pain.

      Even so, this would be a super cool toy. I hear Bombardier is quite good at making those.

      --
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    2. Re:Stopping distance by vrt3 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's more like doing a wheelie and braking on the back wheel, without allowing the front wheel to touch the ground.

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    3. Re:Stopping distance by at_18 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In reference to your bike (btw the link was broken) imagine if you had to brake with only the front tire!

      You MUST use the front tire brake if you want to stop in any sensible way. Using only the rear one is a recipe for disaster, on bikes and bicycles.

    4. Re:Stopping distance by djupedal · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The reference is for a 'four point static', not 'system'. The optimal system is described as a tricycle, which is the Embrio at low speeds.

      Stopping with the front brake (link is fine for me), is routine...no one with any sense uses the rear at all. We've all heard of 'wheelies'...ever seen a 'stoppie'. No problem up on one wheel.

      Physics says you can't exceed 200mph in the quarter mile, where we know that 300 is exceeded with abandon. Those same physics will fall to the wayside when the Embryo hits the road.

    5. Re:Stopping distance by Avihson · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Motorcycle stunt drivers are a lot different than the day to day commuter.

      Every day, in every major city, someone fails to stop their 4 wheel car when all 4 wheels are in contact with the pavement. Blind faith in computerized ABS seems to have made matters worse. In my experience, a large number of the tailgating drivers rely on the ABS instead of good judgement to prevent 'accidents.'

      Good engineering falls to the wayside when confronted by mass stupidity and apathy.

    6. Re:Stopping distance by djupedal · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The first people to drive motorcycles were considered stunt drivers, and were actually sedate compared to today's two-wheeled commuter. Stunters today are simply an indication of what can be done...where that goes is usually beyond our feeble imaginations.

      The first time ABS and airbags save your life, or the life of someone you love, you'll be less jaded about technology and other drivers.

  4. Fun design. What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The design is really, really cool. But other than that, I don't really see the advantage of this. It seems to give no advantage compared to a normal bike, and has quite a few disadvantages (less space, more complexity). Throwing in a fuel cell-based drivetrain could just as easily (if not easier) be done for a two-wheeled bike as well - and would incidentally be a pretty good idea (with the electric motors in the wheels, you would get rid of the chain, and could have practical two-wheel drive).

  5. Re:dupe? by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You'd think the editors could actually search their own archives for the word "Bombardier" or "Embrio", wouldn't you?

    Is it really that hard to do?

    Jeez, you could write up a script in five minutes that would search a story for company and product names (hint: look for capitalisation) and check to see what other related stories there have been recently. Flag those for the editor to briefly glimpse over before hitting the "approved" button and you've saved yourself 99 percent of dupes.

    Again, is it really that hard to do?

    --

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  6. Re:dupe? by stud9920 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    You'd think the editors could actually search their own archives[...], wouldn't you?
    You'd think ANYONE could actually search slashdot archives, wouldn't you ? Have you seen their crappy search engine ?

    the only reason /. readers notice dupes, is because they READ /.
  7. I'll keep my Vespa for now by AssFace · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I live in Bermuda where getting around by scooter is a very common thing - as opposed to say Boston or Denver in the U.S.
    My Vespa with gas and carrying my laptop and rain gear is around 300lbs. That is lighter than the single wheeled beast in this article. My Vespa ET4 is 125cc and can go much faster than 36mph (although there isn't much need for it since the speed limit here is 35kmph and I personally never go over around 50kmph - occasionally 60, but that is considered dangerous here).
    Vespa claims that it gets 46mpg, but I have seen it doing better than that, which is good since our gas is well over $5 per gallon.

    I would be interested in seeing the price on that singled wheeled unit and trying it out compared to my Vespa - but I would imagine that it can't hold much of anything and is largely a gimmick.

    --

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  8. Re:dupe? by Moofie · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why would the Embrio be superior to a motorcycle? It's less stable and less safe. Where's the win?

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