Exmovere's Chariot returns on video, might actually be real

Well, the base might be ripped right from the Showbots, but Exmovere Holdings doesn't seem to be totally kidding about its "Chariot" wearable transportation device. There's a new video up that demonstrates its use, with a character akin to the Summer Heights High guy at the helm ("I'm a little early," "He's stuck in traffic, you know. I just took my own way here, so I had no problems..."). If you can get past his slightly annoying implementation of the Chariot, it's not hard to see the benefits of a device like this over a wheelchair -- if it pans out, that is. Our theory is that Exmovere is using this gaudy Showbots platform as a jumping off point, adding in accessibility features, working on additional functionality (like sitting) and hopefully tweaking the looks before it goes to market. Hit up the read link for the video.

[Thanks, Joshua]

[electron @ Apr 16th 2009 10:13AM]

O_0 oh good Lawrd... please no...

[Quantumphysics @ Apr 16th 2009 10:52AM]

All he needs now is a rocket launcher for one arm and a metal hook for the other.

[OneLove @ Apr 16th 2009 10:54AM]

This will be used in the next cheap sci-fi channel movie, aliens vs dino-fish-saurus 3.

[Mic2000 @ Apr 16th 2009 11:44AM]

Which one is the machine?

[Testies, Testies, 1, 2... 3? @ Apr 16th 2009 4:59PM]

Can't complain about your bips being too wide now huh?

[roach @ Apr 16th 2009 10:16AM]

Photo reminds me of the photo of the Woz taking a leak while on his Segway...ewww!

[Duke @ Apr 16th 2009 10:46AM]

First thing I thought of was Box from Logan's Run. That creeps me out a bit.

http://www.jeffbots.com/box.html

[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII (BarCODE) @ Apr 16th 2009 11:30AM]

Looks more like C3P0 than a Segway.

[sacapuntas @ Apr 16th 2009 1:24PM]

Once again it is left to me to point out that the man looks like a giant electric shaver... 0_O

[erik @ Apr 16th 2009 10:17AM]

Looks like we are one step closer in creating captain Christopher Pike's wheelchair.

[TIMMAH! @ Apr 16th 2009 12:16PM]

BEEP!

[bangladeshiluv @ Apr 16th 2009 12:48PM]

beep beep

[Dan S. @ Apr 16th 2009 2:00PM]

Double-yes! Guilty!

[SNAKE @ Apr 16th 2009 10:19AM]

My only question is: How would one who currently uses a wheelchair get up into this thing? At the end of the video it shows him stepping down and out, and handicap wouldn't be able to do that. Unless the provide some sort of carrier to get them into it?

[Sisyphus @ Apr 16th 2009 10:20AM]

CHARIOT..... TRANSFORM!!!

[John @ Apr 16th 2009 12:33PM]

Unless there's some secret grabber arm on this thing, you better not drop anything once you're in.

[Grey @ Apr 16th 2009 4:59PM]

They just use the same machine that puts on their Helmet/Breathing Apparatus.

[Pingles @ Apr 16th 2009 10:23AM]

I think it's a great idea. Was in the grocery store the other day and a guy in a wheelchair was trying to get a shopping basket from a stack. He managed before I could help him (he tilted the whole stack) but I immediately wondered why nobody made a wheelchair where the person was at an average height.

[thatrotierkid @ Apr 16th 2009 11:14AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT

[The Observer @ Apr 16th 2009 10:24AM]

What if I want to slide to the left?!

[Robrain @ Apr 16th 2009 10:30AM]

Guess you're just gonna have to crank dat Soulja Boy and lean to the left.

*cringe*

[Robrain @ Apr 16th 2009 10:29AM]

After seeing the video, I really have to say, bravo to the concept. That's far more agile than a wheelchair, and for handicapped individuals would enable them to have a lot more normal day to day lives. However, the biggest limitation I can see with the design is that it lacks long distance mobility. Unless it transforms or compacts down, getting in and out of vehicles will be nearly impossible.

[Bellzebub @ Apr 16th 2009 10:35AM]

Needs a push bar too, so that when the power runs out your friend's can get you home without having to bruise your shoulder blades.

[thekanester @ Apr 16th 2009 12:17PM]

Clearly not an awesome method of transport for the able-bodied amongst us, but the benefits for disabled users is tremendous:

1. Being able to be eye to eye with other people when working with them will lift their social stature, no pun intended, as being low down is often cited by wheelchair users as a social disadvantage.

2. Use of both hands whilst traveling.

3. Speed and ease of transport.

Getting in an out will clearly require a little bit of inventiveness, but should be no more difficult to achieve than getting in or out of a regular chair of car.

I think this is great, and a genuine benefit for humanity!

[burgundyyears @ Apr 16th 2009 12:09PM]

Primitive dalek, no?

[pablito @ Apr 16th 2009 10:34AM]

Totally Futurama!

[ShadowMaker @ Apr 16th 2009 10:36AM]

I can't imagine how sore this guy's arm must be after holding his briefcase this way all the time. You'd think with all the inventiveness that went into this device someone would have thought to attach some sort of luggage 'clip' or something.
I guess this is were aftermarket accesories come in.

[giangn626 @ Apr 16th 2009 10:37AM]

If only it had built in pockets. The guy seemed to have no clue what to do with his hands.

[rcarm @ Apr 16th 2009 10:40AM]

Why does he have a copier in his house?

[Rovsky @ Apr 16th 2009 10:43AM]

thats supposed to be an office...

[Devika @ Apr 16th 2009 11:14AM]

Haha I thought the same thing about the copier in his house! But seriously, who's office has freaking hardwood floors and a kitchen/lounge that looks like that?? The idea of that is even more ridiculous than the "Chariot."

[phling @ Apr 16th 2009 10:46AM]

ha, i hope they do not ever change the design. And also offer a golden "boss" version that makes you taller. And a monorail adaptor.

What happens though if two Chariot guys meet in a narrow corridor and block each others way?
And if you drop something to the floor? Or if you're attacked by a midget?

[Tres @ Apr 16th 2009 10:51AM]

Another problem I can see is stability. Some disabilities that mostly appear physical (like cerebral palsy) actually affect balance too, so even leaning slightly forward and backwards like you have to in this, might be unrecoverable for some people, especially if you're moving on a slope.

I really like this idea though. I was in a wheelchair for most of my teenage years and just being at eye level with someone makes a huge amount of difference to the way people treat you. Getting in and out of this thing also seems like a huge concern, along with transport in vehicles.

Also, come on, surely you could make it look cooler than that, it looks like a stand up vacuum cleaner!

[Wwhat @ Apr 19th 2009 9:24AM]

What I wonder about is how you are held upright, if you can't feel your groin area and are supported by it and have no movement won't that degenerate your testicles and thus influence your hormonal balance?
Can't see the video though for some reason, the page just shows a black rectangle, so I don't know how you are suppose to be strapped into it.

[Kaitian @ Apr 16th 2009 10:54AM]

This idea reminded me of this.
http://pbfcomics.com/archive_b/PBF156-Disassemble.gif

[Manesh Saini @ Apr 16th 2009 10:56AM]

How on earth does he use the loo and how can he sit in a meeting room, will he just stand in the corner?

[Duke @ Apr 16th 2009 10:58AM]

Still looks to me that it’s a showbots base. So, they gut one and place a guy standing in the base and act as though he is effortlessly guiding it? Also notice that while waiting for the elevator, it turns to enter and the guy lurches like he wasn't expecting it, while before that he had been holding his back rigid to appear one with the base's movements. I'm thinking scam since the base is identical -not close...identical!

[Duke @ Apr 16th 2009 11:13AM]

Hold it! If you watch the video on the showbot site you see a man testing the base. Its about 1/2 way through.

http://www.theshowbots.com/Making%20Showbot.html

This is a scam. Such a classy one too - getting the hopes up of those with handicaps. I hope these people burn in hell.

[stevie @ Apr 16th 2009 11:04AM]

At least I would save money on pants.

[n49o7 @ Apr 16th 2009 3:48PM]

THANK YOU!
finally someone said it.

[Nafsten @ Apr 16th 2009 11:05AM]

Jalopnik just posted an article about this: turns out it's just a show costume with the top cut off:

http://jalopnik.com/5214585/exmovere-wearable-chariot-is-a-showbot-in-disguise

[sethmo @ Apr 16th 2009 11:07AM]

Its a great idea, but it has its issues. When your in the futuristic chariot, it looks like it makes you 8ft tall, most normal office buildings will have 7ft tall doorways and such.

Other issue is theres no physical way for a paraplegic to get into the machine without help. At least with a wheel chair, they can muscle their way into it. If it had a way for the top section to fold down where somebody could lift themselves into it the same way they would a wheelchair, then it lifts them up into the standing position, I could see that working.

But I hope theres not a way to tip the machine while you are in it. That would definitely hurt as it looks like it is pretty heavy.

[crashcarstar @ Apr 16th 2009 11:10AM]

This is like when Andy Richter wondered what it would be like if he had wheels for feet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSB5NM3rWtc#t=7m36s

[Denver_80203 @ Apr 16th 2009 11:24AM]

reminds me of this:

http://images.ola.com/auctions/13719/yhxc-411830-1.jpg

[phling @ Apr 16th 2009 11:29AM]

thanks.

[EdgeOne @ Apr 16th 2009 11:15AM]

Its so thin and unnoticeable

[EdgeOne @ Apr 16th 2009 11:22AM]

I should have watched the video first - that's pretty cool!

[Mr. Ford @ Apr 16th 2009 11:21AM]

...why, because he's half man, half chariot-robot. That's two things-ism.

[BradS @ Apr 16th 2009 11:21AM]

Looks like he's duct-taped into it.

And what would it take to get a freakin' cup holder? Or does a CD drive tray pop out somewhere to put your cup on?

Speaking of CD drive, that thing should totally have a bitchin' sound system integrated into it.

[dodo @ Apr 16th 2009 11:23AM]

if he would be sitting on a chair then he would definitly remind me to Captain Pike from the old Star Trek show... just missing the red light for saying yes or no....