Mopah: the iPod powered scooter

No, really. The Mopah scooter actually uses your iPod's unique serial number as its key, and won't power on unless it's docked. It rolls when you roll, turning you into a portable DJ. We know you wanna go out and buy one, but you can't — unless you find an angel investor to help Michael Tseng to commercialize his senior thesis project.

[Nate MC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Becuase iPods are more reliable than Keys? This stuff is out of hand.

[Maikeru @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

If you go to the site you learn that this creation is a design school thesis project and not really a comercial venture.

[Mashko @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Someone actually thought this idea would be a good thesis project? There has to be something else this person could have come up with.
http://mashko.blogspot.com

[Mikhail Esteves @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Crazy but innovative!

[mason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

That is so cool. regardless of the iPod tie in, it's a really slick design. Imagine several of these equiped with airport expresses all streaming music from the same source cruising down the street.

[Luke @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Michael Tseng is going to get an "F"!
First off: ergonomics... what design school doesn't teach that nowadays.
Second: that front fork is almost horizontal! this thing must be impossible to control at over 5 mph.
Third: What happens when #5 is cruising along the streets of Brooklyn with his buddies at 2am. and the batteries run dry? (let's hope Michael Tseng designed this thing as a charger also) or worse, he misplaces his iPod.
Cool, now they can swipe your iPod AND get away with it!

[Laine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Now didn't we all hear about how we're not supposed to use headphones while driving because we might not hear all of what is going on around us?

Very good, boys and girls! /_/

[tr @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

"Michael Tseng is going to get an "F"!
First off: ergonomics... what design school doesn't teach that nowadays.
Second: that front fork is almost horizontal! this thing must be impossible to control at over 5 mph."

as a current design student and a former engineer, i can tell you that, unfortunately, a lot of focus in design classes is on ideas of human interaction and function, and not necessarily on usability and engineering. from looking at his site, it's clear that, like other students in my design classes, he doesn't place much emphasis on engineering. from a design standpoint, the form of the scooter looks kind of pieced together from unrelated parts, and the seating and hand positions look highly uncomfortable. and from an engineering standpoint, it looks as if it would break. i agree, the fork rake seems very wrong, like if a heavier rider sat on it, the fork would bend forward.

it's a good concept, the idea of using a personal device as a 'key'. kinda reminds me of the 'keys' found in the new VW Passat, the Audi Q7, and other automobiles that use just a keyfob (without the key) to turn on the car.

[KK @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Wonderful idea...it could be used for cars next. Then the thief who mugs me for my iPod could drive off with my Porsche, too.

[Huey2k2 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Then you manage to destroy your iPod somehow and can't use your car anymore, its ingenius!

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

New class this Fall on most college curriculums... "iPod 101"

[krez @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

I couldn't agree more. This thing is ugly as sin... function and form is a good combination... but if you can't get that... well, you might as well get one of em. Unfortunately this thing lacks both.

www.tigercompatible.com

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

tr,

as a current engineering student and a wannabe IDer, working as a graphic designer, why are you making the switch?

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Ummm, my comment may be misread. I'm a current student, etc... wondering why you, tr, made the "switch" so to speak.

[Parker @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

for all the people who dont have an ipod...well lets just say that those would be some expensive keys

[Harry @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Its not a commercial product. Its a concept.

The concept that some kind of personal device could be used to operate other devices is a great idea.

This is clearly not a practical scooter. And clearly an ipod is not the best device to use, as it is much less robust and larger than a set of keys.

This is just a concept, like you would see a concept car at a car show, they are rarely practical. Stop knocking it - i reckon its a clever concept that we will no doubt see manifested in future products in some more practical form.

Who knows, some day we might swiping our mobiles at the checkout instead of using a credit card.

[Daniel Ross @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

#15:

They already do that in Scandinavia, and I believe Japan as well.

[anonymous @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

I think it looks pretty neat.



I wouldn't EVER ride it, but I can see some emo-freak-sad kid loving it.

[Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

What ever happened to design schools helping to promote the development of style. The scooter has nothing but a cutting board glued to the side( and trust me, i am a design student, it is glued) and two speakers. Emo stands for emotional, and that is why emo kids love Vespas. This is about as bland as a Saltine cracker. It is a neat idea to control transportation device with a personal device like an iPod(from someone who is serious about their music). No style, though, and horrible construction skills. At least try and Photoshop out the ripples in the fiberglass job.