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"Why such a high tech solution for something easily solved by adding another wheel?"

How's that?

Linear motion is to this thing what banking is to an airplane or motorcycle (or bicycle). How would you like to make high-speed turns on a bike that has three wheels, incapable of leaning into a turn? Or a fighter jet that can't bank, and can only make flat turns?

Two wheels provide more stability than three wheels. This is the first device to capitalize on that principle with two parallel wheels.

If he comes out with a one-wheel model (which he's already patented), it'll be incredibly stable in hard turns as well as forward/stop/reverse movement.

And I'm just suspicious enough to think it likely that the original device he showed off to Bezos and Jobs was in fact a one-wheel version. It would explain their off the charts enthusiasm, and the unanticipated delays in bringing it to market (it's got to be harder to iron the bugs out of something that's clearly much more complex to handle -- so I suspect that at a certain point, they tabled it, and decided to bring the two-wheel "lesser" model out first).

1) I walk with a cane due to my encounter with a two wheeled device called a motorcycle so I can sympathize with your plight. So on that count, you're 100% correct, it could make life better for people who have major health problems. Since this guy already designed a 2 wheeled wheelchair, why haven't you purchased one of those? Since as you say you can't walk for more than a few feet, it's got to be hard to stand, too? It is for me.

2) From what I've seen, this device doesn't turn by leaning into turns (maybe the rider does and a sensor detects that direction), one wheel moves faster on one side to effect the turn. How is adding another two wheels going to affect that, passive castors aside? And since this guy's an engineer, why have passive casters? Oh yeah, the castors were only for stabilization, not for the driving wheels.

3) When I was much younger, I owned and rode a Schwinn unicycle and can tell you from experience that it was not very stable. Sure, you could stay in one place by rocking back and forth not to mention the inevitable competition to see who could ride backward longest but once you stopped moving, you were on your face. If you added his gyro system it would eliminate this problem but what have you gained?

4) You're not the only one with a disability. I'm sure you take as many meds if not more than I do just to get around but you don't see me attacking people who question its viability especially when it's our tax dollars involved in supporting it by buying it for government agencies. They couldn't use an electric (not the shaving kind heh heh) razor? Only this device will work for the P.O? and other agencies and warehouses, cmon now?

5) For your 155, see my 127, item #4

6) If you've actually read my posts, then you'll see I'm not attacking this device, just it's cost to benefit ratio for what it does which is really what it comes down to. We're supposed to design cities around IT? My, that's a little presumptuous.