Honda starting to create motorized wheelchairs

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Honda is stepping into the future with a new adventure they call “extended reality.” It’s like stepping into a video game, but instead of just sitting in one spot with a VR headset on, you get to move around using something similar to a high-tech wheelchair called the Uni-One. Honda plans to show this off at a big event called SXSW in Austin, Texas.

The Uni-One is pretty special because it can balance all by itself and moves whichever way you lean. Imagine leaning forward and suddenly you’re zooming ahead, or leaning back to slow down, just like magic. It’s like being in a video game where you’re racing through an alien world, but you’re actually sitting down!

This chair isn’t just cool because it moves; it can also adjust its height. When it’s up high, you’re almost as tall as your friends who are standing up. When it’s lower, you’re at the same level as people sitting down or little kids, and you can use a joystick to move around.

Honda wants to make VR more exciting by adding movement, but they’re not focusing on helping people with disabilities with this project. It’s all about fun and games, and they’re thinking it would be a great addition to places like shopping malls or theme parks where there’s plenty of space to roam around without bumping into things.

The Uni-One is based on an older Honda gadget called the Uni-Cub, which was a sort of sit-down unicycle that came out in 2012. The new Uni-One is a bit heavier and can go up to 3.7mph, with a battery that lasts long enough for a 5-mile ride at a slower speed.

It’s hard to say if everyone will want to zoom around in these at their local mall, but it sure sounds like a fun idea. Maybe it’ll be like something out of a futuristic movie, with everyone exploring virtual worlds on their personal moving chairs. Only time will tell how this new “extended reality” will fit into our world.

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