electric unicycle

Similar to hoverboards, Onewheels, and Segways, electric unicycles are self-balancing in a forward and backward direction, with side-to-side (lateral) stability being provided by human steering motions that tilt or twist the unit, similar to Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics. The control of a unicycle can be considered to be similar to an inverted pendulum. Many electric unicycles have suspension, either operated by air or springs.

Electric unicycles come in varying speeds, battery capacities, and motor wattages. Low-end models may have speeds up to 15 mph and ranges of 10–15 miles, while advanced models being introduced in 2024 can reach 60 mph and over 100 miles per charge.

File:Eunicycle Trevor Blackwell.jpg demonstrates his prototype.|thumb]]

{{See also|Monowheel}}

A hand-power monowheel was patented in 1869 by Richard C. Hemming{{US patent|92528|Improvement in velocipede, 1869}} with a pedal-power unit patented in 1885.{{US patent|325548|US Patent 325,548}} Various motorized monowheels were developed and demonstrated during the 1930s without commercial success{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/04/monowheels/|title=One-wheeled motorcycles: As cool as they are wildly dangerous|magazine=Wired|date=24 March 2014|last1=Bierend|first1=Doug}} and Charles F Taylor was granted a patent for a "vehicle having a single supporting and driving wheel" in 1964 after some 25 years of experimentation.{{US patent|3145797|US Patent 3,145,797}} In 1977 Charles Gabriel presented an electric unicycle that resembles the design of today's devices.{{US patent|4109741|US Patent 4,109,741}}

In 2003, Bombardier announced a conceptual design for such a device used as a sport vehicle, the Embrio.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2003/11/04/cx_dl_1104vow.html|title=Hot Wheel|work=Forbes}} In September 2004 Trevor Blackwell demonstrated a functional self-balancing unicycle, using a control-mechanism similar to that used by the Segway PT and published the designs as the Eunicycle.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} This approach was further refined by a group of engineering students at the University of Adelaide who developed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjy8QEDk_Mg The Micycle], which incorporated a hub-motor, a Lithium-Ion Battery and a novel steering mechanism where the wheel pivoted independent of the main chassis.{{Cite journal |last=Kadis, A., D. Caldecott, A. Edwards, M. Jerbic, R. Madigan, M. Haynes, B. Cazzolato, and Z. Prime |date=December 2010 |title=Modelling, simulation and control of an electric unicycle. |url=https://www.araa.asn.au/acra/acra2010/papers/pap149s1-file1.pdf |journal=Proc. of the 2010 Australasian Conference on Robotics & Automation (ACRA 2010)}}

File:Micycle.png

Early units had a seat, which limited how much the unit could be tilted,{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH-CMYiW7fk|title=Trevor Blackwell (Anybots) meets the SBU|date=11 March 2011 |accessdate=25 February 2024|via=www.youtube.com}} but this was resolved with the transition to seatless units that could be tilted much more.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqoNhGEhk2Y|title=EUC: Turning by tilting the wheel|date=13 May 2019 |accessdate=25 February 2024|via=www.youtube.com}} In March 2010 Shane Chen of Inventist filed a patent application for a seatless electric unicycle (associated with the "Solowheel" product launched in February 2011), which uses flat pedals to stand on and leg contact surfaces to allow for stable, precise control in lieu of a seat.{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US8807250|title = Powered single-wheeled self-balancing vehicle for standing user}}{{cite web|date=2011-02-11|title=Solowheel self-balancing unicycle is as easy to ride as it is to afford|url=https://www.engadget.com/2011/02/15/solowheel-self-balancing-unicycle-is-as-easy-to-ride-as-it-is-to/|work=Wngadget}}{{Cite web |last=Depp |first=Ornaldo |date=2023-10-08 |title=Top 10 Best Electric Unicycles of 2024 - Ultimate Buying Guide |url=https://outdoorproductsreview.com/best-electric-unicycles/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Outdoor Products Review |language=en-US}} In Oct 2010 Focus Designs published a video of an electric unicycle with hub motor and a seat.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/0JOgTKigxGs Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20101025165437/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JOgTKigxGs Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=focusdesigns|title=Self Balancing Unicycle (SBU) V2.0|date=2010-10-11|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JOgTKigxGs|access-date=2018-10-07}}{{cbignore}}

Late in 2015, the Ford Motor Company patented a "self-propelled unicycle engageable with vehicle", intended for last-mile commuters.{{cite news|last1=Read|first1=Richard|title=Ford Patent Could Transform Your Car Into A Unicycle|url=http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1101614_ford-patent-could-transform-your-car-into-a-unicycle|access-date=10 September 2016|work=The Car Connection|publisher=Internet Brns Automotive Group|date=December 29, 2015}} Segway launched their [https://www.segway.com/ninebot-one-s1 Ninebot One S1] model in November 2017.

File:Euc presidio.jpg riders participating in a group ride in San Francisco. PPE was worn due to higher top speed with newer EUC models. The man in a red jacket on the left was riding a suspension-model.|thumb]]

By the turn of the decade, several Chinese manufacturers dominate the market and continue to release EUC models with higher top speeds (above 75 km/h or 46 mph),{{Cite web|url=https://oneradwheel.com/know-this-before-buying-a-veteran-sherman-electric-unicycle/|title=Know this before buying a Veteran Sherman Electric Unicycle|website=oneradwheel.com|date=2 August 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-11-15}} and longer range batteries.

Popularity came around the same time as Begode (formerly known as Gotway) released their M super line. This evolved into the MSX & MSP models and eventually into the RS model. Around this time Veteran stepped on to the scene for the first time with their road wheel the Sherman.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}{{clarify|date=December 2021}} In 2020, suspension EUCs were revealed by [https://inmotionworld.com/ Inmotion], [https://www.kingsongpro.com/page/about-us Kingsong] and Gotway. After suspension, companies began to work on higher speeds and motor voltages.

• A motorized, gyroscopically balanced unicycle was described in 1940 in the short story "The Roads Must Roll" by Robert Heinlein.
• A self-balancing unicycle was described in 1969 in "The Man From R.O.B.O.T.", a short story by science fiction author Harry Harrison.ANALOG — Science Fiction/Science Fact, Vol. LXXXIII, No. 5, July 1969, pp. 120-151. Illustrations by Peter Skirka.

File:Boy riding Solowheel.jpg|Device in use

File:Airwheel-Q5.jpg|Airwheel with double-wheel

File:Solowheel front.jpg|Front view of a solowheel

File:Italian traffic sign-inizio percorso monowheel.svg|Traffic sign

File:Self-balancing Unicycle.ogv|Video of unit in use

File:Micycle Long Exposure.jpg|The Micycle

• Begode (previously known as Gotway){{Cite web|title=Begode|url=http://www.begode.com/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-11|website=www.begode.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126123646/http://www.begode.com/ |archive-date=2020-11-26 }}
• InMotion{{Cite web |title=Inmotion: About Us |url=https://inmotionworld.com/pages/about-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729035225/https://www.inmotionworld.com/company/who-we-are |archive-date=2019-07-29}}
• Inventist{{Cite web|url=https://inventist.com/inventions/solowheel|title=Solowheel|website=inventist.com|accessdate=25 February 2024}}
• Kingsong{{Cite web|title=King Song - Redefining Personal Electric Transportation Vehicles|url=https://www.kingsong.com/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-11|website=www.kingsong.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020922132732/http://kingsong.com:80/ |archive-date=2002-09-22 }}
• Leaperkim {{Cite web|url=https://www.ewheels.com/product/veteran-sherman-s/|title=Leaperkim Veteran Sherman-S Electric Unicycle|accessdate=25 February 2024}}
• Rockwheel
• Segway – Ninebot{{Cite web|title=Segway Z10|url=https://eu-en.segway.com/products/ninebot-by-segway-z10|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-11|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001215359/http://eu-en.segway.com:80/products/ninebot-by-segway-z10 |archive-date=2018-10-01 }}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Ballbot, a mobile robot designed to balance on a single spherical wheel
• Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics
• Electric bicycle
• Honda U3-X, which looks like a self-balancing unicycle, but balances on a powered Omni wheel
• Inertia wheel pendulum
• Onewheel, a sort of electric skateboard
• RIOT wheel, a ridable single-axis self-balancing unicycle with an unusually low centre of gravity, with its rider in front of, rather than on top of its single wheel {{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
• Self-balancing unicycle
• Unicycle
• Uno, a sort of dicycle
• Wheel in B.C. (comic strip)
• B.C.'s Quest for Tires

{{div col end}}

{{reflist|30em}}

;Research papers (in reverse date order):

Daniel R. Gilman "Riding an EUC – From Never-Ever to Expert – A Detailed Written Guide [https://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/21537-learn-to-ride-an-euc-a-detailed-written-guide-from-never-ever-to-expert/ Learn To Ride An EUC - A Detailed Written Guide - From Never-Ever To Expert]

• {{cite journal|title=A Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robot with the Fuzzy PD Control Method|first1=Junfeng|last1=Wu|first2=Wanying|last2=Zhang|first3=Shengda|last3=Wang|date=26 November 2012|volume=2012|pages=1–13|doi=10.1155/2012/469491|journal=Mathematical Problems in Engineering|doi-access=free}}
• {{cite web|url=http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/83116123/self-balancing-mobile-robot-tilter|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140209225046/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/83116123/self-balancing-mobile-robot-tilter|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-02-09|title=Self-balancing mobile robot tilter|last1=Tomašić|first1=Tomislav|last2=Demetlika|first2=Andrea|last3=Crneković|first3=Mladen|publisher=Transactions of FAMENA|year=2012|volume=36|issue=3|page=23}}
• {{cite journal|title=Modelling and Control of a Flexible Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Mobile Robot|first=Jian-Wei Zhao; Xiao-Gang|last=Ruan|date=1 September 2011|volume=3|issue=3|pages=330–355|doi=10.1504/IJSCC.2011.042438|journal=International Journal of Systems, Control and Communications}}
• Ben S. Cazzolato, David Keith Caldecott, Andrew John Edwards, Matthew Anthony Haynes, Miroslav Jerbic, Andrew Christopher Kadis and Rhys James J. Madigan [https://web.archive.org/web/20110822105115/http://sites.mecheng.adelaide.edu.au/robotics/robotics_projects.php?wpage_id=44&title=65&browsebyauthor=115 Micycle - A Self-Balancing Unicycle], University of Adelaide, 2010
• {{cite journal|author=Johnson, R.C.|url=http://maths.dur.ac.uk/~dma0rcj/PED/uni.pdf|title=Unicycles and bifurcations|journal=American Journal of Physics|volume=66|issue=7|pages=589–92|year=2002|doi=10.1119/1.19027|citeseerx=10.1.1.693.5310|access-date=2007-10-14|archive-date=2016-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105235508/http://maths.dur.ac.uk/~dma0rcj/PED/uni.pdf|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Zenkov|first1=DV|first2=AM|last2=Bloch|first3=JE|last3=Marsden|url=http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~abloch/unistab.ps|title=The Lyapunov-Malkin Theorem and Stabilization of the Unicycle with Rider|journal=Systems and Control Letters|volume=45|issue=4|year=2001|pages=293–302|doi=10.1016/s0167-6911(01)00187-6}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Zenkov|first1=DV|first2=AM|last2=Bloch|first3=NE|last3=Leonard|first4=JE|last4=Marsden|url=http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~marsden/bib_src/papers/2000/24-ZeBlLeMa2000/ZeBlLeMa2000.pdf|title=Matching and Stabilization of Low-dimensional Nonholonomic Systems|journal=Proc. CDC|volume=39|date=2000|pages=1289–1295|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030627081504/http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~marsden/bib_src/papers/2000/24-ZeBlLeMa2000/ZeBlLeMa2000.pdf|archive-date=2003-06-27}}
• {{cite journal|first=S. V.|last=Ulyanov|display-authors=etal|title=Soft computing for the intelligent robust control of a robotic unicycle with a new physical measure for mechanical controllability|journal=Soft Computing|volume=2|issue=2|date=1998|pages=73–88|doi=10.1007/s005000050036|s2cid=17955504}}
• {{cite book|last1=Sheng|first1=Zaiquan|last2=Yamafuji|first2=Kazuo|title=Proceedings of 1995 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation |chapter=Realization of a human riding a unicycle by a robot |volume=2|date=1995|pages=1319–1326|doi=10.1109/ROBOT.1995.526027|isbn=978-0-7803-1965-3|s2cid=7280130}}
• A. Schoonwinkel, [http://bicycle.tudelft.nl/schwab/Bicycle/BicycleHistoryReview/Schoonwinkel1987.pdf Design and test of a computer stabilized unicycle] Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, California, 1987

{{Commons category|Motorized unicycles}}

;Other

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222204749/http://www.ifac-papersonline.net/Detailed/45555.html Flexible two-wheeled self-balancing mobile robot], 9th IFAC Symposium on Robot Control (2009)

• [https://tlb.org/eunicycle The Electric Unicycle]

Category:Electric vehicles

Category:Cycle types

Category:Unicycling

Category:Personal transporters