TECH

Inflatable electric Scooter can be carried in backpack

The research organization Mercari R4D and a team that includes students from the University of Tokyo have jointly developed an inflatable electric scooter that drivers can store inside a backpack. Called Poimo, which means "portable and inflatable mobility", the base of the scooter is made of thermoplastic polyurethane and it has detachable components, including handles, wheels, battery and engine.
The creators compare Poimo to the inflatable robot from Disney's Big Hero 6 animation, which already the body of the scooter can be inflated in a matter of minutes using a small pump.
Designed for short trips around the city or to end longer journeys (such as from the subway to the office), the Poimo is lightweight enough to be emptied, folded and carried in the user's backpack, allowing them to enter and exit anywhere they want without concern for security or on-site parking.
Researcher Ryosuke Yamamura of Mercari R4D developed the wireless scooter in collaboration with a group of students from the University of Tokyo and designer Hisato Ogata of Takram.
While there are other micro-mobility solutions, such as electric bikes, scooters or scooters, that can be used to end larger trips from a train or bus station, these models still encounter problems regarding portability, safety and price. Poimo designers believe that part of the problem lies in the rigidity and size of properties necessary for transportation, such as a bicycle, for example.



"About 60% of car trips in Japan are short distance, which is not very good in terms of congestion and greenhouse gases," they analyze. "This is a similar situation in other countries. We believe that a mobility model such as that allowed by Poimo is necessary to replace the current standard."
The rigid components of the scooter, which include two eight-inch front wheels, two six-inch rear wheels, a motor, a built-in wireless controller and a battery 70 by 110 millimeters in length, weigh about 5.5 kg in total.
Scooter was born from a discussion at a research event in which researchers from the University of Tokyo Hiroki Sato, Young Ah Seong, Ryuma Niiyama and Yoshihiro Kawahara participated. It was there that they created the concept of an inflatable mobility solution that would be safe in the event of an accident and portable when not in use.

According to the designers, the soft body would protect pedestrians and motorcyclists in the event of an accident, creating a "new relationship between people and mobility". The inflatable feature of the scooter also means that it can be easily customized, the researchers say. Since the body is made of "glued" fabrics, the user can transform it the way he wants.
For now, the scooter is just a prototype. Mercari R4D and the research team say the final product will be lighter and even more portable than it currently is.

Source: Mercari R4D/University of Tokyo