THE TECH-LICIOUS: URBAN TRANSPORT

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Rocketskates are worn over regular shoes " height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/rocketskates-3.jpg" title="Rocketskates are worn over regular shoes " width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back in 2010, we first heard about inventor Peter Treadway's concept for powered wheeled footwear
 that also allowed the user to walk under their own power when desired. 
Two years later, the concept was the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, 
in the form of spnKiX
 motorized skates. Now, Treadway has returned to Kickstarter with an 
improved take on the original idea, known as Acton R Rocketskates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like spnKiX, Rocketskates are designed to be strapped on over regular
 footwear. When you want to let each skate's two hub motors do the work,
 you just tip your feet back so that only the rubber wheels make contact
 with the ground. Should you need to do something like climbing stairs, 
however, you tip forward and walk on the balls of your feet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unlike spnKiX, however, Rocketskates aren't controlled via a remote 
control unit. Instead users start by picking a "lead" foot (the one that
 goes in front), turning both skates on, then waiting for them to 
wirelessly sync up with one another. Once they're synced, the user 
accelerates by tilting the lead skate forward, and decelerates by 
putting their heel down. The motors of the non-lead skate simply copy 
whatever those in the lead one are doing.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/rocketskates-let-you-walk-or-motor/32879/pictures#2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The user accelerates by tilting the lead skate forward, and decelerates by putting their h..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/rocketskates.jpg" width="530" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Their maximum speed is 12 mph (19 km/h), and the range depends on the
 model chosen. The R6 will get you around 6 miles (9.7 km) or 45 minutes
 of use, the R8 is rated for 8 miles (12.9 km)/70 minutes, and the R10 
is reportedly good for 10 miles (16 km) or 90 minutes. For all models, a
 full charge of the lithium-ion batteries takes 1.5 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Users can also do things like monitoring battery life, tracking routes and checking total mileage via an accompanying app.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If they seem like your cup of tea, a pledge of US$249 will get a pair
 of R6s, with the R8s going for $499 and the R10s for $599 – when and if
 they reach production. Treadway's Acton company, incidentally, also 
brought us the collapsible electric M Scooter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Rocketskates can be seen in action, in the pitch video below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/rocketskates-let-you-walk-or-motor/32879/" target="_blank">gizmag</a></span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="398" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petertreadway/acton-r-rocketskates-worlds-first-smart-wearable-m/widget/video.html" width="530"> </iframe>
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Rocketskates let you walk or "motor"

Back in 2010, we first heard about inventor Peter Treadway's concept for powered wheeled footwear that also allowed the user to walk...