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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tech On a Bicycle Built for You and Your Cybernetic Bicycling Companion

Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 10:28 AM

Popsci interviews a Bainbridge Island man who built a robot to help him pedal his bicycle. The construction took a year, and the completed robot (whose name is Joules) is pretty neat:

The money quote, about why the pedaling robot has a neat-looking helmet: “It’s cool to make a paper airplane that flies, but it’s just as cool to draw dragon wings on it.”

Comments (11) RSS

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I love it.

Posted by dwight moody on December 22, 2009 at 10:34 AM

I would have named him Lance.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on December 22, 2009 at 10:51 AM

"Joules." So perfect.

Posted by Gloria on December 22, 2009 at 10:51 AM

Like, I know this is functionally identical to a motor strapped to a bike, and those have been around for ages, but I don't care. This is utterly charming.

Posted by Andrew Cole on December 22, 2009 at 10:56 AM

@4- Actually a motor strapped to the bike would function much better. This adds a bunch of extra weight and puts the weight higher in the air, which adds instability. Plus all those extra moving parts means more friction.

But the robot guy is way cooler than a motor. Maybe dude can build one of these for Mayor McGinn.

Posted by dwight moody on December 22, 2009 at 11:05 AM

This looks like Mayor McGinn's new Official Transportation and RoboCop security detail all-in-one.

Posted by Jakey on December 22, 2009 at 11:21 AM

Ten bucks says the guy has a butt machine in the basement (NSFW, duh).

Posted by rob!

on December 22, 2009 at 12:24 PM

Seattle needs McGinn like a robot needs a bicycle.

Posted by wilbur@work on December 22, 2009 at 12:34 PM

My bicycle came with a robot that helps pedal. In the form of a 992 cc v-twin.

Posted by elenchos on December 22, 2009 at 1:58 PM

that was kinda sad, like he built a buddy to go cycling with him. tear.

Posted by Max Solomon on December 22, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Does he need a license for that bike? (I can't access audio here at the library, so I don't know if it's addressed.) I bet he would here in Pennsylvania. Merry Christmas to all at SLOG.

Posted by Timmytee on December 23, 2009 at 9:34 AM