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Instant path

 Prevents hookworm, too!
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I was pondering [Curry's] hot sand problem when I realized the solution to this, and to any nasty surface on which one must walk, is the Instant Path.

This device is two round flat plates connected at an angle. On placing your foot on the front one, a geared mechanism is pressed down, swinging the back one forward to receive your next step. Stepping off the platform now in back allows the gear to pop back up, Putting weight on the new front platform it swings the back one to the front again. Thus the platform walks along with you. You never need set foot on the filthy ground.

—bungston, Dec 29 2003

Snowshoes http://www.snowshoesonline.com/links.html
Same idea, anyway. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

Elliptigo http://www.elliptigo.com/
I saw one of these last week. They are like a Wendigo except in California and not as bitey. I was reminded of the Instant Path. As opposed to the Instant Path, the Elliptigo the flat plates are off the ground and drive wheels - much more efficient. [bungston, Oct 14 2009]

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       Its like Dance-Dance-Revolution for walking! Another bun for our friendly BUNCO rep! [+]
—Letsbuildafort, Dec 29 2003
   

       [Not quite seeing it - any chance of a diagram...?]
—DrCurry, Dec 29 2003
   

       Most excellent! Could they come in the shape of rose petals?
—ldischler, Dec 29 2003
   

       I also have an idea similar to this one.
You get these two ovals about the size of your feet and they follow your feet because they are strapped to them. In the winter you could add covers so your feet don't get as cold.

Sorry but would shoes not suffice equally as well as some geared mechanism to move stepping stones?
—kaz, Dec 29 2003
   

       What happens if the ground is uneven?
—GenYus, Dec 29 2003
   

       [DeGroof] got it. It occurs to me that a better design would be in the shape of a letter H. The two sides become the foot platforms. Instead of swinging around the lagging pad moves straight forward when your weight is on the leading pad.   

       This might be good for crossing slippery ice in addition to hot sand, barely cooled lava, hookworm infested playgrounds etc.   

       //What happens if the ground is uneven// . Hmmm. The platform would need to come up higher to swing forward. The bottom of the pad would need rubber fingers or something similar Too uneven and it wouldnt work.   

       Final benefit - if you are going for a long walk with rose petals strewn before you, it can get very expensive. Strewing the rose petals on the instant path is much more efficient.
—bungston, Dec 30 2003
   

       Then you might want a vacuum device that sucks up the petals behind you and spits them out in front.
—ldischler, Dec 30 2003
   

       How heavy? Do you need muscles in your spit to operate them?
—python, Dec 30 2003
   

       I was pondering the InstantPath device. As[DeGroof] pointed out, it would be like climbing a shallow set of stairs. The improved Instant path converts some of thatenergy into rotation of a small set of wheels underneath the step plates. The result - the action of walking with the efficient energy conversion of rolling!
—bungston, Jun 25 2005
   

       I don't see how the H version would allow you to walk a curved path or to vary your stride length. The OO version, if the plate doesn't fold down flat on the ground until you step on it, could. To walk a curve, you could just, with your foot, push the plate forward or backward around the circumference of the one you're standing on before stepping down on it. To vary your stride length, just step closer to or farther from the middle of the OO set.
—notexactly, Dec 08 2019
   

       @notexactly - you are right. For the H version you have to get your hips and arms in the action and do the twist while standing on one leg, getting the thing to pivot. If you have some of those limited edition H versions they are worth a lot now 16 years later. Before you sell yours, though, pls post video if you do the twist on it.
—bungston, Dec 10 2019
   

       Isn't this just uncomfortable shoes that aren't actually attached to your feet?
—neutrinos_shadow, Dec 10 2019
   


 

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