Next Generation Handsfree

[Erwin Landau]

Ulrich (http://handsfree-transporter.com/) was showing his new version of the Handsfree Transporter at NAB this year. The old version used pedals for steering left and right and different keys that would limit the speed. I was never confident enough to try it with the rig on...

 

The new version now uses a Joystick style leaver. So basically you move/lean your hips to the right and the unit goes right, you move/lean to the left... you get the drift.

 

Also no keys anymore, you have a Digital Stopwatch style remote control that you can hang around your neck. It controls the Handsfree, walk away to far from the unit and the Handsfree stops working, also it gives you a battery indicator etc.

 

I was joking that they could write an application for the I-Phone and they said it could be done...

 

At first I tried the unit without the rig and it felt a little strange, especially going backwards at what point you have to switch your thinking. Left is right and right is left...

 

But once I added the Rig it felt somehow right. Basically, where ever you move the rig towards, the unit would go... fun.

 

$20'000.- a piece... not so fun.

 

One local LA rental house actually purchased the unit shown here. So there is or will be one in town shortly.

 

 

Later,

 

 

Erwin

[Erwin Landau]

Here is Chris Faucet demonstrating the handsfree at NAB 2008.

[Erwin Landau]

Here is me taking the plunge... without the plunge.

[Erwin Landau]

Here is Alec Jarnagain also trying the Handsfree... The Funny thing was 15 seconds before that picture was taken, he was discussing how you need all your senses and concentration to maintain staying on the unit and not crashing...

 

Ring, ring... Hallo?

[RonBaldwin]

using this one will also require all your senses and concentration to maintain staying on and not crashing...

[JobScholtze]

hehehe lol

 

20k, thats not so funny. Its a nice "toy"" but i cant see how people can make that 20k back.

Nah, i'll pass.

Nice to see those pics though, thx for the info Erwin

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Yes, the new controls make this thing scary intuitive. Seriously, I didn't think twice about answering the phone until I saw the horror written all over the faces around me. Obviously you still need practice, but I hated the old pedals (although some people swear by them - once again, what works for one person might not for another).

 

Proceeding someone is still the hardest shot as you really don't want to drive backwards forcing you into Don Juan, which is not my favorite way to shoot. If I were to do this, I'd put an additional monitor out front (attached to the Segway- not the sled) believing that it is dangerous to look anywhere but ahead of you at the speeds this machine can deliver.

 

I'd love to see a New York rental house purchase one, although it might be tricky to know when to get production to rent it (in most cases I'd still prefer a platform driven by someone else). I, too, see it as difficult for an individual to pay it off for the price because more often than not Production will not want to pay for it just to save your legs. That said, I think Ulrich did an amazing job and I can't believe he sells all that many so the price needs to justify his time and efforts spent.

 

Nice job Ulrich.

[JobScholtze]

Cant resist on answering that, ;-)

Perhaps more segways would be out there if the price was more affordable to have it in the back of your truck. I have enough gear that makes my live easyer but not always make money.

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

"Perhaps more segways would be out there if the price was more affordable to have it in the back of your truck. I have enough gear that makes my live easyer but not always make money."

 

Job,

 

I won't say I disagree with you on that one because if the price were half that, I'd probably buy one. I suspect a lot of others would too so he'd sell more than twice as many. My point is that it is sometimes difficult for a manufacturer to find the price point that makes sense for them and everyone else. I suspect a lot more high end sleds & arms would be sold too if they were half the price, but we don't generally complain about that.

[Chris Callarman]

using this one will also require all your senses and concentration to maintain staying on and not crashing...

 

Now you're talking! Finally a worthwhile use of technology. :P

[JobScholtze]

"I suspect a lot more high end sleds & arms would be sold too if they were half the price, but we don't generally complain about that."

 

 

Alec,

 

True, i think you hit the nail there, but.......

hmm, cant think of something. :P

 

oh yes,

I still think it should be cheaper. A sled is daily use, the segway?, i doubt it.

But i can imagine his costs are sky high. Think i have to wait for a chinese knockoff then ;-)

[Jerry Holway]

But i can imagine his costs are sky high. Think i have to wait for a chinese knockoff then ;-)

 

Job-

 

Apart from the ;-)... With the Chinese knockoff, we'd also get the quality of Movecam, which an arm with maybe 6 inches of useful boom range (in spite of patent infringement, it doesn't work). A Chinese version of the handsfree, I imagine, would work like a catapault.... (????)

 

Knockoffs, without the hard work of engineering and thought, might be cheaper, but they often miss the crucial details.

 

PRO Gear arm failures for underspec'd parts is another example, and in the Chinese case, they don't have a clue what an arm should do, even if it looks sorta like a G-50/3A combo.

 

If you need this wonderful tool, buy it now. It's also great for just zooming around the neighborhood (something the rest of your gear is not good for)...

 

Jerry

[JobScholtze]

I own the G70 and not a cheap knock off, hence my ;-)

I wouldnt trust anything on a chinese segway i am affraid. Nor will i ever pay 20 k fore somthing that clients refuse to pay for. But thats just me i guess. I love gadgets, but up to a surtain price

[Erwin Landau]

When Henry Ford introduced the Model-T, His Company was worth $100'000.- and the car was selling for a staggering $850.- in 1908... when he seized production in 1927 the car was selling for $260.- and the net worth of the Ford Car Company was $700 Million.

 

The original Segway sold for $6000.- later models with smaller motors and less range where sold for as low as $3000.- it never took off as the inventors hoped...

 

It's all in quantity... making 10'000 in limited runs is as expensive as making 100'000 on an assembly line. The more he can sell the cheaper he will be able to sell them for.... but our market is so limited that we will never reach that numbers.

 

Unless he can sell the unit to other Industries... look at Garret and the G-50 arm for the Assembly line Industry.... Only time will tell.

 

 

Erwin

[Mike McGowan SOC]

for ten grand id buy one today.