This fun footwear looks like hiking boots with oval, 2-inch thick soles. On a track around each sole’s perimeter travels a tread at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Housed inside the sole is a battery, motor and drive wheels. The bottom is convex for walking, but turn on the scoot boots and the fun begins:

The tread on the right foot moves clockwise and the tread on the left, counterclockwise. By standing bowlegged on the outer edges of the shoes, one is propelled forward and by shifting to a knock-kneed stance on the inside edges, one is moved backwards. By going up on the right toe and the left heel, one scoots to the right, and the opposite pose causes movement to the left. Among other variations are pirouettes, diagonal travel and coasting down hills.

After some practice in safety gear, one will soon be zigzagging among pedestrians, taking corners at work while still facing the same direction, and getting raves on the dance floor.
-- FarmerJohn, Sep 26 2002

HOG drive https://en.wikipedi...onal_gimbaled_wheel
Mentioned in my anno [notexactly, Dec 12 2018]

Only you, FJ, could possibly dream up stuff like this.
-- PeterSilly, Sep 26 2002


Sheer genius. The image is priceless... knock-kneed backwards moving person suddenly shifting to left-toe/right-heel and scooting left....
-- waugsqueke, Sep 26 2002


standing still would take a bit of practice..
-- yamahito, Sep 26 2002


Too cool, farmer! Need any test pilots?
-- Mr Burns, Sep 26 2002


[was here: blissmiss annotation about a mental image of me teetering on heels or something such]

look, you, I can't drive in killer heels but I'll bring some along for the purposes of photos on Saturday alright? Although you're v unlikely to get evidence of the heels *with* the karaoke.
fj, croissant. I'm not sure about how to turn them on and off though - and do you mean that for normal walking the soles can flip inwards to a concave shape?
-- lewisgirl, Sep 26 2002


[was here: blissmiss furthering the mental image with me wobbling onto stage propping myself on hippo and stef's arms and selfishly grabbing the microphone in order to warble]

selfishly? selfishly? nay, altruistically, given st3f's singing. (apols, S.)
-- lewisgirl, Sep 26 2002


//I'm not sure about how to turn them on and off though //

Just click your heels together three times, and repeat after me...
-- Mr Burns, Sep 26 2002


Nick@Nite: This is a horizontal loop of tread that allows movement through 360 degrees.

lewisgirl: I, a Kansan, like thcgenius' on-off switch. Since the soles aren't flexible, I figured they'd be made slightly convex for walking (avoid ski boot stomp), pirouetting and braking.
-- FarmerJohn, Sep 26 2002


[jutta] needs to incorporate a mega vote into the bakery voting system so I can donate mine to this idea.
-- kaz, Sep 26 2002


lg: No apologies necessary. You were forewarned. I just hope no-one will have to suffer needlessly.
-- st3f, Sep 26 2002


I want one ! Rather than have a tread, you could just use a circular device with the motor as a flat cylinder at the centre, and a spinning disc around it with an inclined surface; the whole sole rubberised. Might be a bit nippier than treads.
-- bumhat, Sep 28 2002


It probably would get little to no speed with an electric motor small enough to fit in the sole of a boot. And go through batteries like nobody's business. Still, it would be a riot if you could get around these problems. As for stopping, how about clicking your *toes* together? More difficult, yes, but also mcuh more fun to watch.
-- nick_n_uit, Sep 28 2002


Perhaps we need some clockwork-type mechanism that charges up using your normal walking motion.
-- bumhat, Sep 28 2002


It kinda reminds me of Gumby.
-- MikeOxbig, Jan 06 2006


So it's a HOG drive [link] for your feet? I would be willing to try it.
-- notexactly, Dec 12 2018



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