There was probably a moment when the designers at Toyota were watching Wall-E and decided that they needed to come up with something that assisted man and they probably wanted to give something new to the concept of ‘Human Assistance’. The newest product that has been released out of the Toyota stables is the pretty cool ‘Winglet’. The device seems for now something very similar to a Segway but taking the concept to a whole new level. The Winglet is all about gliding around with style... On the ground, of course!

The Winglet is intended to be a personal assistance robot that you ride in a standing position. It’s available in small, medium and large sizes with each model having different features that are appropriate to the user’s needs. The range goes from simple “practical” use to a more adventurous “hands-free sporty”. The unit is comprised of a body that houses an electric motor, two wheels and internal sensors that are constantly monitoring the rider’s position while adjusting power to maintain stability.

There is also a mechanism that allows the rider to move forward, backward and turn just by shifting body weight. This makes it safe and useful even in tight or crowded spaces. It still being refined and Toyota’s goal is to make it available by the early 2010’s. While the Winglet is not radically different from a Segway, it is surely several notches above the traditional format. Pretty cool indeed!

Via: dubdaily