Honda U3-X: A noughties easy rider

At this year's Tokyo Motor Show, Honda unveiled its U3-X personal mobility device that may save some of us from the nasty habit of walking in the future.

Perched on the device, the rider pilots the U3-X just by shifting their weight around. With its single wheel and the Honda Omni Traction Drive System — rather conveniently contracted to HOT Drive System — the U3-X can move forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally.

The incline sensor that judges the rider's intentions via weight shift, as well as the U3-X's balancing technologies, are derived from Honda's Asimo robot project.

The U3-X packs up neatly into a slim-line form and, according to Honda, weighs less than 10kg.

The U3-X is powered by a Lithium-ion battery that should last for about an hour's worth of riding.

Standing 65cm tall, the U3-X is designed so that riders are at about the same eye height as humans who have to manage that cumbersome task of walking.

The Honda Omni Traction Drive System works by having a whole series of small wheels — the grey wheels with the white dots — that move the U3-X sideways. The small wheels are also chained together allowing the U3-X to go forwards or backwards.