In recent years, many personal mobility means of single-seater transportation such as electric scooters and electric standing motorcycles have appeared.However, most of them are heavy and large, and the problem is where to put them when not in use and how to carry them, and it is difficult to customize them to suit each individual.

　The new personal mobility poimo (POrtable and Inflatable MObility) developed this time has a balloon-like membrane structure that is supported by air pressure, which is called an inflatable structure, in many parts from the car body to the wheels. It has the feature that it can be pulled out and folded.It is light and soft, but because it is made of a high-strength "Drop Stitch Fabric", a composite material of cloth and resin, it has the strength to support the weight of human beings and does not easily puncture.Taking advantage of the characteristics of the balloon structure, it is a personal mobility that can be used in a new way, such as folding it into a small size and taking it out when needed to inflate it.

　In addition, dedicated software has been developed to allow users to design vehicles of size and shape to suit their height and posture.It is said that a vehicle with a shape and size that matches the pose is automatically designed just by taking a pose to ride on it while imagining the vehicle you want, and it is possible to customize it based on the proposed design.Using this method, the researchers prototyped multiple light and soft electric motorcycle type and manual wheelchair type poimos.

　This achievement, which enables non-experts to easily customize vehicles and pioneered a new field of personal mobility that can be folded and carried, is an inclusive society where anyone can acquire a means of transportation that suits them. It is expected to contribute to the realization.

reference:[Japan Science and Technology Agency] Developed balloon structure mobility that can be custom-made just by posing-Your own vehicle that can be folded and carried- (PDF)