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Shift Moonwalkers Help You Walk Faster? How About Tractor Treads!
This tweet shows that there are a variety of clever ways to increase your foot speed by adding wheels - the Shift Moonwalkers.
Moonwalkers do not freewheel like roller skates. They move only when you do. This means you can go up and down stairs, step into mass transit, and wait confidently at intersections.The 8-wheel patented drivetrain consists of overlapping wheels to simulate much larger diameter wheels to climb over uneven terrain. Two additional wheels at the toe include a one-way locking clutch.
At the heart of Moonwalkers, a state-of-the-art brushless DC motor distributes its power across eight polyurethane wheels through a precision machined gearbox.
- 2.5x walking speed without extra effort
- Speed controlled by your pace
- Hands-free, no remote controller
- Built for rough urban terrain
- Quick to learn
- Fit over a variety of shoes
- Magnetic quick release
- Fast charging via USB-C
(Via Shift Robotics)
Science fiction writers were also inspired; they wanted to add to man's solutions to the problem of personal locomotion. For example, in Magician of Dream Valley, published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1938, Raymond Z. Gallun makes the following suggestion for weary spacemen:
HIS EQUIPMENT consisted chiefly of a highly developed space armor. The thing was massive. Each foot was a miniature atom-powered tractor...
(Tractor Boots from 'Magician of Dream Valley' by Raymond Z. Gallun)
Long-time readers will no doubt recall the tele-motor-coasters from Hugo Gernsback's 1911 classic Ralph 124c 41+.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 10/11/2022)
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Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
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