What if I told you that you can explore fantastic worlds, soar in the clouds or race around the track while sitting comfortably? Perhaps Honda has found a way to use its Uni-One, a sort of electronic high chair designed to bring people with disabilities into an almost upright position. Combined with a VR headset, the Japanese multinational says, Uni-One promises an unprecedented extended reality (XR) experience.
But what exactly is meant by “extended reality”?
Extended reality, or extended reality (XR), is a term that encompasses all immersive technologies that combine real and virtual environments, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). These technologies allow users to interact with computer-generated environments, enriching the experience of the physical world or completely immersing them in a virtual world.
Personal mobility meets virtual reality
The concept behind Honda's Uni-One is simple: a chair that physically takes you from point A to point B effortlessly, in an almost upright position and keeping your hands free. A good subsidy for disabled people? Maybe. Perhaps.
Combined with extended reality, however, it becomes a personal mobility device that transforms every move into a gaming experience.
Honda's extended reality experience
For his American debut during the SXSW (South by Southwest) multimedia festival in Austin, Texas, Honda did not just present its electric vehicle. It has created an immersive experience that virtually defies the laws of physics, allowing users to “fly” through the sky or “glide” on thrilling rides, all from the “safety” of a motorized chair.
The promise is to offer a digital adventure so real that you forget you are in a confined physical space.
Technology and fun: the perfect marriage
Whether or not it succeeds in its aim (and I'm not sure), Uni-One is not just an exercise in technological style; it is an invitation to reconsider the concept of movement. With a maximum speed of 6 km/h and a range of up to 8 km on a single charge, it certainly won't replace your car, but it might make you consider commuting on foot as part of your daily routine, especially when the alternative is to walk after a long day at work.
In any case, remaining with "playful" use, Honda imagines a future in which the mobile extended reality experience will be available in open and closed spaces, from theme parks to shopping malls, offering a new type of entertainment that combines physical exercise , virtual exploration and, of course, a good dose of amazement.
If that means less time spent waiting in line for an attraction and more time spent virtually “flying,” well, who are we to complain? I am also thinking of guided, interactive and immersive tours through a museum, while traveling among real paintings the landscape can transform and show the places of origin of the painters. How about traveling among Van Gogh's paintings? Something that outclasses current exhibitions.
Extended reality, in short
As we wait for the future of personal mobility and extended reality entertainment to become accessible to all, I can only imagine what other surprises Honda has in store.
If the Uni-One is an indication of their commitment to pushing the limits of technology and fun, with future releases the future looks decidedly exciting. Next time you find yourself walking somewhere, think about how much more fun it would have been to do it sitting down.
