Engineer builds Self-Balanced, Motorized Unicycle
First, Nick Thatcher built a Segway-like vehicle called the No-Way. Then he built something more unique: An electric unicycle.
The Raptor does not sound intimidating and looks more like a rocking horse than a violent dinosaur, but its concept is fascinating, especially if you think about the fact that it was not funded by millions of dollars like Dean Kamen's Segway.
The device uses a 350 watt motor that is good for a safe top speed of 10 MPH, while an Arduino Uno micro controller is responsible for analyzing inertia data and process them in a program that was taken and modified from One Wheeled.
Thatcher said that the current battery life is about 90 to 120 minutes and the entire unicycle weights about 25 kg, or 55 lbs. He intends to increase the range of the device with a stronger battery in an evolutionary design of the Raptor.
A YouYube video indicates that the Raptor works, but may not be the most practical vehicle in the current design. With some visual modifications, a motorized unicycle may, however, be an attractive product for those among us who just don't like to walk.

One can dream...
Not complaining. The more the merrier, I say. I'd welcome more gadget-related posts like this as well, come to think of it.
Note the real-life functioning Tron motorcycle in the "related videos" section at the end
http://rynomotors.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1YoCfm7nxU&feature=related
http://www.firebox.com/product/5468/SBU-V3-Self-Balancing-Unicycle
cool gadget and i can see merit in the idea if it had a logner range (yes i know the article mentions that being the next step) but you still have to park it or find a way yo keep it with you vs walking/jogging where you get there stress free and with health benefits
But unfortunately, in 20 years your cartilage can't be replaced. This machine however, can.
I love to walk/jog as well, but I still commute using bike/vehicle due to time constraints and weather.
Anyways, these unicycles have always been a bad idea, why? Some kid runs in front of you, you slam on the brakes, you go face first into the kid or pavement.
I would love to meet the "reasonably healthy" person that can maintain an 8min/mile pace for a full half marathon in slacks and a button down shirt and still be presentable enough to walk into work when they're finished. I think a 30min 5k would be a more reasonable definition of healthy, and even that would be with some fatigue at the end.
As far as I can guess, this thing would be designed to replace bicycles and small scooters for people that commute 1-10 miles to work. I don't personally see the advantage over a standard bicycle, but that's just me.
-Ben
Don't want to burst your bubble but 21st century started 01/01/01
No no...December 21st...the end of the world. Where've you been?
WARNING.
Do not attempt to travel down long steep inclines on a 100% fully charged battery. Failure to comply may result in damage to the battery or to the circuit board due to the regenerative braking.
It's little things like this that will begin to really set these apart and justify the higher price of some of the competitors offerings, but these things are not listed on the comparison page which you linked to.