What is "Wheeebo?"
"Wheeebo" was developed using methods of thinking about design that creates solutions which reflect the needs of the marketplace while identifying potential issues and the needs of users while repeating trial production runs. A sensor detects tilting when your weight shifts into the direction that is the opposite of where you would like to go on this circular board and you are able to enjoy moving over the water surface through the driving force of its motor and propellor.
As a new way of play through which its users can discover varied ways of enjoying themselves on the water surfaces with gentle waves such as beaches and lakes, this service is primarily aimed at families who enjoy marine activities both in Japan and abroad, and we foresee it being used by a wide range of users, from elementary school students to seniors.
"Wheeebo" special website: https://www.yanmar.com/jp/wheeebo/
Product specifications
Size: Diameter 140 cm / 150 cm (can be selected based on use and weight)
Speed sensation: The sensation of the speed of a brisk walk (up to three knots)
Propulsion method: Electric motor
Power source: Dedicated nickel-hydrogen battery
Operating time: One charge lasts three to four hours
Speed adjustment: Two-step speed changing by manual remote control
Place of use: Beaches, seas, and lakes with gentle waves, etc.
Features
Being able to enjoy yourself slowly
Look out over your natural surroundings, look into the water...
Anyone can enjoy it at their own pace without the need for a license.
It can be moved intuitively
Simply by moving your center of gravity, shift your weight into the direction opposite of the direction you would like to go. Operating is is simple, so you can easily operate on the day you first step onto it.
Various bodies of water
You are not limited to using it just at sea. You can enjoy the experience on any body of water you can think of such as lakes, ponds, rivers, pools, and waterways.
Interview with the organizer
We asked Mr. Hiroyuki Koyama, of nr. one group connected business room president's office of Yanmar Co., Ltd. who developed "Wheeebo" , which offers exciting new waterfront experiences, as well as Mr. Takahiro Sato and Mr. Masako Hongo, who are in charge of project management in the same group about the charm and features of Wheeebo and their expectations for the contest.
What kind of excitement can Yanmar offer users?
-- Please tell me about what led the to the development of Wheeebo.
Koyama: With the motto of "A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE," Yanmar defines the abundant future we should strive for in the four societies, and works towards making it a reality. One of its visions is "a society filled with many exciting and passionate experiences." However, there are not many products that our company, that primarily is involved in agricultural machinery, has which can directly excite toC. It was within a sense of awareness of that kind of subject that Wheeebo came forth, as a product idea that anyone could freely use.
The prototype of Wheeebo was created in the collaboration program between industry and academia ME310/SUGAR, in which the challenges of innovation posed within global companies are tackled together by students and researchers from the Kyoto Institute of Technology and from abroad. Our company took part from 2016 to 2017, and it was based on a prototype developed by students from Swinburne University of Technology and Kyoto Institute of Technology in response to the query we asked of "development of an intuitive smart machine that connects people and water."
Yanmar Co., Ltd. Mr. Hiroyuki Koyama (Wheeebo manager of development)
-- What is the concept of Wheeebo?
Koyama: The concept of Wheeebo is "adaptive play." Based on your ideas in various places such as the sea, lakes, rivers, parks, and cities, there is no limit to the range of ways you can enjoy it. It can be enjoyed by children as well as by adults, and there is no prescribed way to use it. I would like to have people ride it without a relaxed mind without the need to rely on physical strength.
You can relax on the water while reading a book or having tea on the single-person Wheeebo.
-- Which aspects of Wheeebo make it attractive?
Koyama: The most important feature is that it can be operated intuitively. Because it can be moved through simple operation in which you shift your center of gravity into the direction opposite of the direction you wish to go, no special licenses or qualifications are needed.
Hongo: Another attractive aspect is being able to enjoy it slowly. It is also stable with a diameter of 140 to 150 cm, so you can lie down on Wheeebo and read a book or drink some tea. You will not get tired from pedaling.
Look out over your natural surroundings, look into the water, anyone can enjoy it at their own pace.
Yanmar Co., Ltd. Mr. Masako Hongo
-- What are the differences between Wheeebo and other aquatic activities, and what makes them interesting?
Koyama: It should be clear that those are the aspects that are unlike marine sports. Technically, you are able to move it into any direction you like in 360 degrees with one jet. However, since I want the rider to be able to move intuitively, I do not dare have a design that moves in a machine-like fashion.
At its core, Wheeebo is a toy *laughs*. I believe that there are various hidden possibilities that we have not uncovered yet. I would like users to ride Wheeebo more and more and create novel ways of play.
-- Which aspects were the most fun when you had an actual test-ride?
Sato: Even though I thought it would be easy to ride, it was surprisingly difficult. We had children, as well as adults with all kinds of nationalities, try Wheeebo at an event, and the impression we have is that children manage to get the hang of riding it faster than adults. Because it is operated intuitively, children get the hang of it sooner than adults, who tend to overthink it.
Yanmar Co., Ltd. Mr. Tatsuhiro Sato
Hongo: When I rode a Wheeebo for the first time, it was unlike anything I had felt before. It is a completely different sensation from swimming in the water by yourself. It was a happy feeling of standing on water and the sensation of moving just by shifting my weight felt very new.
By expanding the way to connect to water, we change how we spend time at the waterside.
ーーDo you have any words for the people applying for AWRD?
Sato: I feel that the image of riding on a Wheeebo is a strong one, it is a project that was created in order to have fun on the water. I hope you will have ideas that will allow us to deepen the connection we have with water even further. As it is a product that can be enjoyed even without a need for speed, I am excited how it will expand the possibilities for marine activities.
Hongo: With Wheeebo, you can spend time on the water fully clothed without the need to change into swimwear or a wetsuit. You can enjoy using it for sports, but the aspect of being able to use it culturally is the charm of Wheeebo. I foresee that simply by moving things that are normal on dry land onto the surface of the water, new points of view will be created.
(Text by Yui Kitagawa)
