Usually, when you see something that catches your eye at CES, your first instinct is to pick it up and try it out. Our team spotted the Onewheel in the hallway heading out of Showstoppers, but none of us were brave enough to jump on it in our sleep-and-food-deprived states. (Besides, the unit we spotted in the hallway was out of juice, so we have a backup excuse.)
The 25-pound Onewheel isn't just the unicycle version of a skateboard. It's also electrically powered, and it purportedly balances itself with the help of an onboard gyroscope and motion sensors. You'll have to do the initial balancing, but once the board senses something on it (and that the angle is level), you can lean forward slightly to make the direct-drive motor propel the single, 11.5-inch tire forward.
According to Onewheel, the board reaches a top speed of 12mph. Its onboard lithium nano-phosphate battery charges up in about 20 minutes, and the board has a range of four to six miles per charge depending on whether you're on a flat surface or more-challenging terrain. At top speed, you can expect to get about 20 minutes to a half hour of roll time.
Alas, this Kickstarter project is only a real thing in prototype form at the moment. It did reach its goal of $100,000 in funding, so maybe we'll all be falling off one sooner rather than later. On the Kickstarter page, pledges of $1,200 and up are eligible to receive one of the first shipping units, which means its full retail price (and the hospital bills) will be even more than that.
