Video: Segway RMP Packbot with Mecanum Wheels

This demo "Segway RMP" packbot—yes, that Segway—uses Mecanum wheels to move in any direction. Mecanum wheels were concived by Bengt Ilon in 1973, but this is the first time I've seen them in action.

Thank goodness PT was around to snap a video. He notes, "Very creepy. You know it's a good robot when it's creepy. All the good ones are creepy." I don't think the lovebot I'm building in the likeness of PT in my bedroom is creepy.*

Segway's new RMP! [Blog.Makezine.com]

* :(

[#1 posted by Thinkerer , April 9, 2008 6:53 AM]

Land propellers -- neat!

[#2 posted by giantnegro , April 9, 2008 7:28 AM]

Think that's spooky, check out videos of forklifts using those wheels:

http://www.airtrax.com/video/

[#3 posted by Blind Zen Archer , April 9, 2008 8:28 AM]

That looks terrifyingly awesome.

[#4 posted by Anonymous , April 10, 2008 7:43 AM]

Thank you for those forklift videos. I remember seeing a Popular Science article about them in the 70's but could never find it again to show my brother, the forklift operator at the time.

[#5 posted by hexmonkey , April 10, 2008 11:35 AM]

I can't wait for skateboards to start coming with wheels like this, so I can finally get that job at RadiKS!

[#6 posted by Anonymous , April 10, 2008 11:56 PM]

They also use them on the beds of those lifts used for loading airplanes, so they can manipulate the orientation of a crate on the bed while it's in the air.