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Prototype System Replaces Stairs and Elevators with Human Power

posted by martyb on Wednesday October 26 2016, @08:04PM   Printer-friendly
from the must-be-empty-handed dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Humans are said to have evolved from an ancestor that once swung through the trees to get about, free to move through the environment in almost any direction. But today, in our modern high-rise environment, if you simply want to go up or down, it's probably fair to say we've actually devolved. Stairs, elevators, and lifts all take up precious space within buildings, and they're expensive, complicated, or require endless maintenance. Now a new human-powered system prototype dubbed Vertical Walking has been developed that requires just ten percent of the effort needed to climb stairs, but can easily move a person up a vast number of floors.

[...] Designed by the Rombaut Frieling lab in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Vertical Walking uses a system of upright rails that incorporate pulleys and a clever gripping system to allow a user to incrementally move between floors in a building. Claimed to require less than 10 percent of the effort needed to climb stairs, and with no other external energy input needed, the creators assert that the prototype has been successfully proven by a wide range of people, including an amputee and an MS sufferer.

A novel way to move between floors.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by tibman on Wednesday October 26 2016, @08:26PM

    by tibman (134) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday October 26 2016, @08:26PM (#419130)

    Seems better for low traffic areas. If you need more than 2-3 of these then you are taking up more space than conventional stairs. Also, taking your coffee upstairs will be a bit more difficult : P Interesting though. I wonder what environment this would be ideal? Some place where you have a lot of vertical and not much horizontal. Tree house? Missile silo?

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  • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 26 2016, @09:11PM

    by Gaaark (41) on Wednesday October 26 2016, @09:11PM (#419150) Journal

    That was my first thought: cool, but "but my coffee, but I can't sext/Facebook doing this.... waaah, I just broke a nail!!!"

    I'd use it, but I'll also think nothing of walking 10 floors to visit my parents.

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    • (Score: 5, Funny) by deimtee on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:09AM

      by deimtee (3272) on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:09AM (#419247) Journal

      I'd use it, but I'll also think nothing of walking 10 floors to visit my parents.

      Wow, your basement is really deep!

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