Once upon a time, I had a bike but my friends didn't. That meant I had to drag the bike as I walked with them, ride it slowly, or well... just ride it ahead of them. Now, poimo (portable and inflatable mobility) offers a new option: ride it when we're not together, and put it in my bag if I want to walk with them.
poimo is not the first micro-mobility solution we’ve seen out there but it is certainly an intriguing one. with a total weight of 5.5kg, the scooter is so compact that it can be folded into an average-sized backpack. the design uses soft robotic technology, resulting in a device that is soft, safe and lightweight enough for people to carry and to allow users to ride it on and off anywhere. in order to reduce the overall weight, a wireless/batteryless powering system has been developed.
the poimo is made of a drop stitch material that is light and strong and although the scooter is still under development, it has been confirmed that it can support a person’s weight. the inflatable body is made from a thermoplastic polyurethane — the same strong material used in airbeds — where the independent components are attached: front and rear wheels; battery; electric motor; handlebars; and the wireless controller. the company says that the process of getting your scooter ready (inflating it and attaching its components) shouldn’t take more than five minutes.
Read more at Design Boom
Images by poimo