【】
Dean Kamen, the man who gave us the Segway, has teamed up with Toyota to bring back another one of his most fascinating transportation devices: the iBot.
SEE ALSO:Segway just dealt a huge blow to the hoverboard industryThe iBot debuted back in the late '90s as an innovative multi-wheel chair that gave wheelchair-bound users the ability to travel up steep stairways, elevate themselves to the height of a standing person and even traverse rough, outside terrain. However, with a cost of about $25,000 per unit, the device simply didn't find enough users to stick around, as the device was officially discontinued in 2009.
Now, in an announcement posted on its website on Saturday, Toyota has pledged to work with Kamen's Deka Research to launch a next generation version of the iBot.
Kamen even appears in a new video (see below) riding the iBot, detailing the vision and reasoning behind bringing the device back into the market.
"Our company is very focused on mobility solutions for all people," Osamu 'Simon' Nagata, chief administrative officer at Toyota Motor North America, said in a statement on Toyota's website. "We realize that it is important to help older adults and people with special needs live well and continue to contribute their talents and experience to the world."
Toyota will also license Deka's balancing technology for the development of other medical rehabilitative therapeutic solutions.
No price or release date for the next iteration of the iBot has been announced, but given the history of the first, potential users can at least hope for a lower price in the future.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
相关文章

'The Flying Bum' aircraft crashes during second test flight
Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, on Wednesday crashed at its Cardington Airfield base in2026-06-13
WhatsApp just got a whole lot more secure.All of the messages and calls made through the app are now2026-06-13
12 comic book series you can binge
Who needs Netflix when you have a good graphic novel?There are plenty of long reads in the literary2026-06-13
Amazon Echo is finally in Best Buy
No one knows how many Amazon Echo devices Amazon has sold, but the number is almost certain to grow2026-06-13
Old lady swatting at a cat ends up in Photoshop battle
We all have that relative who gets annoyed with the cat. 。This timeless photo of an old woman shooing2026-06-13
Students told to keep skirts below the knee because of boys and male staff
Students at a New Zealand school are using the power of media to fight back after they were told the2026-06-13

最新评论