Toyota has developed a motorized Segway-like personal transportation device to assist people in moving around airports and malls. Called the Winglet, this stand up and ride transportation device is partly based on robotics technology from Sony. Toyota unveiled the Winglet at Tokyo, which was developed by a 10-man team including five engineers on loan from Sony. The Winglet looks like slimmed-down version of the American-version Segway; it has a shorter range and runs more slowly. It is ridden in a standing position and can carry an average-sized person up to a 10 kilometers distance at a speed of around 6 kilometers per hour. To ride the Winglet the rider has to push a handle forward to make the device move ahead, pull it back to reverse or stop and push the handle to the side to turn.

Toyota executive Takeshi Uchiyamada, said, "We hope to create friendly robots that can exist side by side with people," Uchiyamada said. "Winglet will help everyone move around safely and stay active."

Three versions of the Winglet have been developed with differing handle sizes. The large version has a handle that is waist high and gives the rider something to hold on to with the smallest having a bar that reaches midway to the rider’s shins. The smallest Winglet weighs 10 kilograms and has a range of about 5 kilometers while the medium and large models both weigh a little over 12 kilograms with double the range. All three have the same cruising speed of 6 kilometers an hour similar to that of a pedestrian. The Winglet can go about 3 miles before needing to be recharged. The Segway i2 in comparison, costs $5,000. weighs 48 kilograms, can travel up to 38 kilometers and has a top speed of 20 kilometers per hour.

Toyota officials say anyone can learn to ride the Winglet with some practice, including the elderly. Designed to stop easily with little pressure, pivot full-circle and go smoothly over bumps on roads, Toyota Motor Corp. has no plans yet to go commercial with the Winglet. The company plans test the two-wheeler this year at an airport and resort complex and next year at a shopping mall, in Japan, to get feedback.

Toyota with an active robotics program, envisions the Winglet in the future going way ahead of what it is today. It could be equipped with wireless technology to relay shopping information at stores, or enabled to move on its own where it might go to recharge its batteries itself, or come pick you up when you call it, carry your luggage.

Winglet was a result of Toyota's takeover of parts of Sony Corp.'s robotics division last year. Toyota envisages turning the Winglet, into transportation devices that might one day supplement or even replace traditional cars. It hopes to commercialize its first partner robots in the early 2010s.