Japanese researchers unveil an INFLATABLE e-bike that weighs 12 pounds and can be folded so it fits inside a backpack
- A team from the University of Tokyo developed a new twist on the electric bike
- Nicknamed Poimo, the e-bike is built around an inflatable frame
- It can be inflated in around a minute and folded down again after use to fit in a backpack, making it useful for what the team calls ‘one-mile mobility’
- The researchers hope Poimo could one day be a commercial product after continued development
Researchers in Japan have developed a new twist on the electric bike that’s small enough to carry in a backpack.
Called Poimo – short for Portable and Inflatable Mobility – the e-bike was developed by a team at the University of Tokyo, who were interested in more efficient ways to handle short and medium distance transportation.
They decided to focus on a design for a collapsible, lightweight e-bike that people could carry with them on public transportation and use for what they call ‘one-mile mobility.’
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Poimo, or Portable and Inflatable Mobility, is a new e-bike prototype developed at the University of Tokyo to provide a flexible transportation option for short- and medium-distance trips
This could include traveling to locations that aren’t close to public transportation routes or moving between neighborhoods that don’t have any direct bus or train connections.
Poimo is built around an inflatable rectangular fabric frame made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fabric, according to a report in Spectrum.
The bike comes with a small electric pump that can fully inflate the frame in around a minute, reaching a pressure of between six and seven pounds per square inch, half of what a soccer ball would be.
Two pairs of small rubber wheels attach to the bottom of the inflatable frame, along with a small electric motor, and a wireless controller that attaches to the bike’s handlebars.
The total unit weights around 12 pounds, but the team says they’re working to make the bike even lighter in the future.
The e-bike weights just 12 pounds and can be broken down and folded to fit inside an ordinary backpack, making it ideal for carrying on public transportation and using for the last mile or less of a journey
The central frame is made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fabric and can be inflated with an electric pump in around a minute, reaching an ideal pressure that’s half of what a soccer ball is inflated to
The team is optimistic that future iterations of the prototype will be able to make it even smaller and more durable, allowing them to prepare a final version for commercial release
The team presented its most recent prototype of Poimo in a virtual presentation at the 2020 HRI Conference, an annual gathering focused on new research for human-robot interactions.
While they hope Poimo could one day become a commercial product, the team says the current prototype isn’t quite ready for the masses yet.
They hope with continued development, they can make it even lighter, sturdier, and more ergonomic.