Eightagon – vehicle for last miles in home-train-work trip

AI Quick Summary

A vehicle that would bring a person from home to work through a public transport like a train. Last mile and intermodality wishlist People have quite changing daily trip, want mobility to adapt to it while using multiple transport modes (including shared/on-demand) is quite a stress of connections. We identified that if a vehicle could be accompanying a person like a “shadow” across the day and be there at the moment it is needed, it could be very beneficial. Being able to start trip when you are ready while vehicle is at our disposal is a mental ease and “power of now”. Each interval in daily trip has its own constraints and we cover home-to-train last mile, presence in the train and train-to-work last mile. We try to suggest a vehicle that would tick boxes of all phases.  The home-train last mile need to start from home, allow bags, kids and offer secure stability as morning risk is highest. At many locations snow in the morning and evening blocks the last mile. Being able to drive in a 30cm snow is definitely on a wishlist. Securely driving uphill and in darkness for few kilometers is also welcome. Autonomous driving on that phase would be very valuable offering people a morning time to plan a day and think connect with household while driving home. Kick-scooters and bikes offer only a fraction of the answer. Presence with a vehicle on a train has constraints of access to the train and being on a train. Moving from a street till the wagon needs ramp from the street, elevator, staircase and safe coexistance with pedestrians. Being on a train requires, first, that 2 vehicles should fit into space behind that modern wide door. Second, vehicle should not cause problems to people entering the train. If a person can remain on a vehicle standing or sitting (like electric wheelchair or elederly scooter) it would provide compact use of space and reachable secure luggage. Finally, vehicle should not be able to fall while train moves. Again, existing vehicles miss many of those criterii. For the train-to-work part in the city constraints are essentially to integrate vehicle into traffic without disrupting it and be able to park without cost. Both can be achieved with thin vehicle while thin vehicle requires reclining at turns. Autonomy is also welcome at that stage to increase security. VEHICLE CONCEPT Thinking humbly, rare if any of existing vehicles that can cover the whole wishlist above checked. Some are not allowed among pedestrians, others are not stable (and can’t be autonomous), thirds can not drive in snow, etc. In our project we would like to take courage and reinvent micromobility that is compatible with trains as shown below. With respect to LastMile Challenge we are mostly contributing on intermodality aspect. A) First contribution is to constrain form factor of a vehicle to be narrower (60cm), shorter (~1.4m) and lower (platform at 30cm). It should fit into bicycle lanes, can be overtaken in one lane. It should be able to park in a motorcycle parking slot at 0 cost, perpendicular to the sidewalk and between cars or on a sidewalk. Dividing width by 2 would double the traffic density and fluidity as narrow vehicle can stop for loading people and cargo without altering the traffic. This vehicle would fit into big elevators and into wagon space foreseen for trolleys. B) Vehicle is based on four tracks that can change rigidity and emulate wheels. This provides four points of contact with the ground and low center. This means that vehicle can not fall and can drive very slowly at a speed of walking person among pedestrians in public spaces. Big area of contact with the ground offers the possibility to reliably drive in snow. C) Comfort of use and security. Vehicle is stable and can not fall when you load luggage or step on it. It can be accessed from all four sides simplifying options to get on/off in constrained spaces and safety to enter vehicle throught front from sidewalk. Waist support can slide down into a small seat. Additional tissue protection could be used around metal poles in winter. Private space is sufficient for a bag and childen seat in front. Open body allows people goint “through” the vehicle if needed without congestioning. D) As tracks can change height, our vehicle can recline at turn and thus does not require a person to balance on it. This makes it compatible with self-driving (which is not the case of majority of 2-3 and even 4 wheelers). It can recline at turns offering natural posture and removing a need to balance. When driving on slopes it can maintain platform horizontal. It also means that vehicle should be able to drive and park itself without a passenger when needed. To summarize, we believe in new type of micromobility vehicle that would tick a lot of boxes on wishlist of a trip on one vehicle from first mile to the train and to the last mile. Project workplan Several technical explorations need to be performed New “wheel” which is in fact a special active, configurable track/tread Finalize and validate a digital version of new “wheel” and test its locomotion properties (in progress) Simulate turns, inclination, (de/ac)celeration and load with static forces, resistance, tension, torsion Simulate rolling on various obstacles like potholes, mud, snow, grass, water and measure shocks Evaluate cinematic forces, fatigue and wear-off at normal motion 3D print reduced or full version of a track Vehicle Realize a reduced version of the lower vehicle part with four tracks, motors and basic control Explore how such platform would advance on flat road and against obstacles (sidewalk, potholes) in snow, stairs, sidewalk Digitally simulate how it can support standing person in different road scenarios including accidents Usability prototype (if funds allow) Realize a usability prototype i.e. upper part of the platform with handles and seat Perform a user acceptance study on standing, access from any side, load bags, kids, sitting (in a train)

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: Eightagon – vehicle for last miles in home-train-work trip
Date: 4/22/2026 3:02:29 PM
Administrators:

Project Idea Description

A vehicle that would bring a person from home to work through a public transport like a train.

Last mile and intermodality wishlist

People have quite changing daily trip, want mobility to adapt to it while using multiple transport modes (including shared/on-demand) is quite a stress of connections. We identified that if a vehicle could be accompanying a person like a “shadow” across the day and be there at the moment it is needed, it could be very beneficial. Being able to start trip when you are ready while vehicle is at our disposal is a mental ease and “power of now”.

Each interval in daily trip has its own constraints and we cover home-to-train last mile, presence in the train and train-to-work last mile. We try to suggest a vehicle that would tick boxes of all phases.

The home-train last mile need to start from home, allow bags, kids and offer secure stability as morning risk is highest. At many locations snow in the morning and evening blocks the last mile. Being able to drive in a 30cm snow is definitely on a wishlist. Securely driving uphill and in darkness for few kilometers is also welcome. Autonomous driving on that phase would be very valuable offering people a morning time to plan a day and think connect with household while driving home. Kick-scooters and bikes offer only a fraction of the answer.

Presence with a vehicle on a train has constraints of access to the train and being on a train. Moving from a street till the wagon needs ramp from the street, elevator, staircase and safe coexistance with pedestrians. Being on a train requires, first, that 2 vehicles should fit into space behind that modern wide door. Second, vehicle should not cause problems to people entering the train. If a person can remain on a vehicle standing or sitting (like electric wheelchair or elederly scooter) it would provide compact use of space and reachable secure luggage. Finally, vehicle should not be able to fall while train moves. Again, existing vehicles miss many of those criterii.

For the train-to-work part in the city constraints are essentially to integrate vehicle into traffic without disrupting it and be able to park without cost. Both can be achieved with thin vehicle while thin vehicle requires reclining at turns. Autonomy is also welcome at that stage to increase security.

VEHICLE CONCEPT

Thinking humbly, rare if any of existing vehicles that can cover the whole wishlist above checked. Some are not allowed among pedestrians, others are not stable (and can’t be autonomous), thirds can not drive in snow, etc. In our project we would like to take courage and reinvent micromobility that is compatible with trains as shown below. With respect to LastMile Challenge we are mostly contributing on intermodality aspect.

A) First contribution is to constrain form factor of a vehicle to be narrower (60cm), shorter (~1.4m) and lower (platform at 30cm). It should fit into bicycle lanes, can be overtaken in one lane. It should be able to park in a motorcycle parking slot at 0 cost, perpendicular to the sidewalk and between cars or on a sidewalk. Dividing width by 2 would double the traffic density and fluidity as narrow vehicle can stop for loading people and cargo without altering the traffic. This vehicle would fit into big elevators and into wagon space foreseen for trolleys.

B) Vehicle is based on four tracks that can change rigidity and emulate wheels. This provides four points of contact with the ground and low center. This means that vehicle can not fall and can drive very slowly at a speed of walking person among pedestrians in public spaces. Big area of contact with the ground offers the possibility to reliably drive in snow.

C) Comfort of use and security. Vehicle is stable and can not fall when you load luggage or step on it. It can be accessed from all four sides simplifying options to get on/off in constrained spaces and safety to enter vehicle throught front from sidewalk. Waist support can slide down into a small seat. Additional tissue protection could be used around metal poles in winter. Private space is sufficient for a bag and childen seat in front. Open body allows people goint “through” the vehicle if needed without congestioning.

D) As tracks can change height, our vehicle can recline at turn and thus does not require a person to balance on it. This makes it compatible with self-driving (which is not the case of majority of 2-3 and even 4 wheelers). It can recline at turns offering natural posture and removing a need to balance. When driving on slopes it can maintain platform horizontal. It also means that vehicle should be able to drive and park itself without a passenger when needed.

To summarize, we believe in new type of micromobility vehicle that would tick a lot of boxes on wishlist of a trip on one vehicle from first mile to the train and to the last mile.

Project workplan

Several technical explorations need to be performed

New “wheel” which is in fact a special active, configurable track/tread

Finalize and validate a digital version of new “wheel” and test its locomotion properties (in progress)
Simulate turns, inclination, (de/ac)celeration and load with static forces, resistance, tension, torsion
Simulate rolling on various obstacles like potholes, mud, snow, grass, water and measure shocks
Evaluate cinematic forces, fatigue and wear-off at normal motion
3D print reduced or full version of a track

Vehicle

Realize a reduced version of the lower vehicle part with four tracks, motors and basic control
Explore how such platform would advance on flat road and against obstacles (sidewalk, potholes)
in snow, stairs, sidewalk
Digitally simulate how it can support standing person in different road scenarios including accidents

Usability prototype (if funds allow)

Realize a usability prototype i.e. upper part of the platform with handles and seat
Perform a user acceptance study on standing, access from any side, load bags, kids, sitting (in a train)