Two Wheels Good - One Wheel...

August 17, 2009 8:04 AM

The One Wheeled Vehicle was Charles F Taylor's invention that culminated in the development of working prototypes. The site contains 3D models and animations explaining the concept. With no electronics, the machine was stabilised electro-mechanically with the use of the humble gyroscope, but the One Wheeled Vehicle is certainly not the only example of a "Gyro-Car". The Brennan Gyro-Monorail is surely worth a mention, as is the 1961 Ford Gyron, and the wonderful Schilovski Gyrocar [previously]
posted by mattoxic (17 comments total)

Reminds me of the Monowheel concept. You can find a number of them online.
posted by fings at 8:15 AM on August 17, 2009

You suck Dean Kamen.
posted by Huck500 at 8:52 AM on August 17, 2009

Could it outrace these guys on their unicycles?
posted by Dr.Enormous at 9:01 AM on August 17, 2009

Interesting stuff. One wonders how much energy is burned just spinning the gyroscope on some of these things, and just how impractical the sophistication made them to maintain. Or, were people just put off by the seemingly unsafe balancing act? The trains are just bizarre.
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:12 AM on August 17, 2009

Monowheel
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:31 AM on August 17, 2009

I guess I'm wondering what the advantages of this would be, aside from the lessened friction. And I wonder if the lessened friction is worth all of the other added mechanisms.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 9:49 AM on August 17, 2009

> I guess I'm wondering what the advantages of this would be, aside from the lessened friction.

There's also the ability to hypothetically climb over any surface within the tire's ability to retain traction, since there's only one whacking huge wheel.

There's also the significant disadvantage of one whacking huge wheel, and its motor and control systems, consuming all available cargo space. It's the world's most versatile go-anywhere any-time transport vehicle but it can only transport itself.
posted by ardgedee at 10:06 AM on August 17, 2009

The Schilovski Gyrocar is incredible. I actually thought it might be a hoax when I started reading the article. I laughed when I read that it couldn't actually make a left turn.
posted by tawny at 10:11 AM on August 17, 2009

Nice links. Thought I would mention a very early monorail in Ireland built in 1888, perhaps the first in the world. It was designed by a French engineer who was inspired by how camels were loaded with a bag slung on each side. It has been restored too!
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 10:23 AM on August 17, 2009

Wow, just wow. The video in the second link is great when he gets to the model with a tractor tire and he starts flying down the road at what 25mph / 40 kph? On one wheel!! Thank you mattoxic
posted by ecco at 10:25 AM on August 17, 2009

Without this post I would have never considered the obvious next step between uni- and tri-wheeled vehicles.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:44 AM on August 17, 2009

Weren't we supposed to have zero-wheeled vehicles by now?
posted by blue_beetle at 11:25 AM on August 17, 2009

Weren't we supposed to have zero-wheeled vehicles by now?

Yeah, they're called "boats."
posted by The World Famous at 11:30 AM on August 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Even DC comics had their War Wheel...
posted by GavinR at 11:40 AM on August 17, 2009

Also known as... IT. (@10:40)
posted by Rhaomi at 2:30 PM on August 17, 2009

more on gyros and their ilk
posted by Think_Long at 3:10 PM on August 17, 2009

One-wheeled motorcycle
posted by Brian B. at 10:11 PM on August 17, 2009