Why have four wheels when you only need ONE

If you’re kinesthetically-challenged and think that it’s hard enough to balance on a skateboard which has four wheels, much less one, th...

If you’re kinesthetically-challenged and think that it’s hard enough to balance on a skateboard which has four wheels, much less one, then the OneWheel is the answer to your skateboarding prayers. This is the world’s first self-balancing skateboard, and it’s battery-powered too! Yup, electric upgrades are not just for bicycles.

The motor housed in the hub propels the skateboard, which is maneuvered by leaning your body and shifting your weight in the direction you want to go. The company behind the OneWheel, Palo Alto-based Future Motion, gave the skateboard the technology makeover, so that the rider feels as though he was gliding over smooth waters atop the 25-pound gadget.

The battery takes two hours to recharge and has a 10-kilometre range at a top speed of 12 mph. Smartphone-controlled functions are still in development; for instance, selecting riding modes, limiting the top speed, GPS tracking, social media sharing, and locking the OneWheel.

The OneWheel is yet another idea which solicited funding and gained popularity on Kickstarter. It raised more than US$600,000, six times its initial goal; although we much prefer to have both feet planted firmly on the ground or our behinds seated securely above four wheels, there’s no denying that there are many people out there who relish the idea of balancing on one wheel.