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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.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anne Nonymous on Wednesday October 26 2016, @09:05PM
Because you're going to want to wash your hands after sharing the rails with Judy from accounting.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday October 26 2016, @10:39PM
Less problematic these days, she upgraded the C-suite to blowjobs.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 31 2016, @04:52AM
Well, I do say old chap, that is the most classy comment we could expect.