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Monday, 10th August 2015
In Japan Travel News,
Japan improves upon the skateboard
Inventors in Japan are always at the forefront of new gadgetry trends and that's certainly the case with the latest incarnation of the humble skateboard.
WalkCar is small, light and easy-to-use, being powered by a battery that can transport the user efficiently to their destination.
After charging for three hours, the new generation of skateboard, which is around the size of a laptop, can travel at 6.2 miles per hour for up to 7.4 miles, reports VentureBeat.
Made from aluminium, WalkCar can carry as much as 265 pounds and can easily be stored due to its small size.
This is what its inventors believe sets it apart from the likes of a Segway or Winglet, as these modes of transport are far bulkier.
Stepping onto the gadget makes it start automatically and the user moves their weight to change direction, before getting off the WalkCar to stop it.
Kuniako Saito, WalkCar's inventor told Reuters: "'What if we could just carry our transportation in our bags, wouldn't that mean we'd always have our transportation with us to ride on?' and my friend asked me to make one, since I was doing my masters in engineering specifically on electric car motor control systems."
Mr Saito has launched a crowd-funding campaign to bring the product to market, with interested customers able to reserve their WalkCar from the autumn.
At 100,000 yen (£517), the invention won't come cheap, but you could see people using them from the beginning of next year.
Indoor and outdoor versions are available, so potential buyers may think about using it simply to get from the sofa to the fridge.
Anyone holidaying in Japan in 2016 should look out for the WalkCar on the streets, as it could be the next big thing.