I'm not sure what the real-life application is, since it appears to move about as fast as an arthritic old lady.
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ummmm, I think it's for the arthritic old ladies. Better than a wheelchair/walker.

Well as an Arthritic young... well middle aged I guess but I'm not yet 40 anyhoo. I find it interesting.
I just started on scary looking drugs to help manage the pain, something like this could be great.

Jack the speed up, develop a slalom course and you could have a pretty sweet core workout. That might even be fun.

You gotta admit, the technology is incredible.

For those who though the Segway didn't make them look foolish enough.

I look forward to seeing Mall Cops riding these in the next year or so.

Pretty nifty looking, but is that really the best name they could come up with?

This will be wonderful for anyone with mobility issues, people with arthritis, Parkinson's, MS, other neurological issues that I'm not aware of. Obviously, it would be pretty silly for someone like these models to use it, but I can see it being a major boon for some: you can still get around at the mall or on the sidewalks, and it takes up way, way less room than one of those three-wheeled scooter thingies.

And even if it doesn't have immediate use, which it clearly does, the technology is awesome and all technological developments eventually have some use.

Cool, a motorized unicycle! I can't see an application for the physically impaired since it no doubt takes some type of muscular effort and motor skills to keep perched on top of the thing.

Possibly useful for elderly/disabled, but going by this promo it is being demoed by young healthy and able bodied.
Considering it's size: I wondering at it's weight limit (possibly why they used the models) and running time vs charging time.

Asimo is a concept platform, and this is one of its derivative technology concepts. It's an inverted pendulum, like the Segway. So balance is maintained by a dynamic combination of torque and speed/direction of the wheel. These designs can be driven quickly, but I'm not sure of how fast you could take a single wheel design, due to stabilization issues.

I can't believe they aren't wearing helmets. Clearly not shot in America.

I do not want a baby Segway. I want my Hoverboard. We where promised Hoverboards. Lying movies.

The other question: How tall are they?

If you have a 6'2" guy with arthritis trying to do that -- will it work?

Oh, I think this is great for people with limited mobility. Look how much work you'd get on balance and on improving your core.

That said, I want one just to play with. :D

The racing division must have done the styling... it looks like a huge conrod.

Amazing. I see great future promise for my wheelchair-bound friends and my mom who is becoming less mobile all the time.