Product Debunking (Modobag)

[plavelle2k12]

Hi Dave,

Don't know if anyone else has posted this, but wanted to ask whether you'd be up for doing a debunking/critique video on the Modobag: http://modobag.com

At first glance I see a couple of problems with this, the first being the battery technology used and its compliance with aviation regulations. Also, they seem quite evasive about the weight of the bag without luggage in it on their site.

[Fungus]

Hi Dave,

Don't know if anyone else has posted this, but wanted to ask whether you'd be up for doing a debunking/critique video on the Modobag: http://modobag.com

What's to debunk? Batteries and electric motors are everyday tech.

There's no reason at all why it can't work as advertised

At first glance I see a couple of problems with this, the first being the battery technology used and its compliance with aviation regulations. Also, they seem quite evasive about the weight of the bag without luggage in it on their site.

Will it be allowed on 'planes? That's up to the FAA to decide.

Will it use up half the luggage weight allowance? That's nobody's problem except the person who bought it.

Will you look like a complete idiot riding a tiny suitcase around an airport in a suit? Very probably.

I'm sure the kids will love it though. I wouldn't be surprised if US parents buy that in droves.

[plavelle2k12]

Was thinking more about the general practicality of it, with regards the points above, as opposed to technical.

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[wraper]

Was thinking more about the general practicality of it, with regards the points above, as opposed to technical.

Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk

So you want Dave to debunk practicality? There are so many completely real unpractical products which are great sellers, for example jewellery or neckties. Imagine EEVblog episode xxxx: jewellery sucks  .

[plavelle2k12]

Aren't legal and practical considerations the first thing any engineer should consider, though?

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[wraper]

Aren't legal and practical considerations the first thing any engineer should consider, though?

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If that fits in the hand luggage size and weight, I see not problems taking it on board, batteries are allowed for hand luggage.

[Kilrah]

There is nothing on quick glance that suggests this thing might not be legal.

The world is full of useless or impractical things that sell. Any product for which you can find buyers is a valid one... I find this thing very stupid, but there are certainly other people who don't have the same goals/interests as me who will love it.

This is purely a question of personal taste/interest. You can't "debunk" that, each person is entitled to their own opinion. Debunking works on facts, not perception.
If they were saying something like their product would weigh 2kg then that would warrant "debunking" as it's obvious you couldn't make something strong enough to carry a person, pack a motor and a battery and have the thing be that light.

[Fungus]

Aren't legal and practical considerations the first thing any engineer should consider, though?

Totally not!

"Legal and Practical" is what marketing does, not the engineers.

Just look at all the completely useless stuff the makers of the world are busy making. Ask any engineer if he'd prefer working on something Legal and Practical or something fun to do.

[wraper]

If they were saying something like their product would weigh 2kg then that would warrant "debunking" as it's obvious you couldn't make something strong enough to carry a person, pack a motor and a battery and have the thing be that light.

2kg would be difficult to achieve but not impossible IMO. Something like 4 kg should be no problem at all.

[Brumby]

The world is full of useless or impractical things that sell.

Ain't that the truth.

Any product for which you can find buyers is a valid one...

Hardly an example of effective resource utilisation - but in this commercial world, true enough.

I find this thing very stupid, but there are certainly other people who don't have the same goals/interests as me who will love it.

And quite likely they will have a gym membership - so they can keep fit.


As I see it, for Dave to have any basis for a debunk, there would need to be claims on battery life, pulling power, gradient negotiating capacity, turning circle and that sort of thing.  You know, engineering stuff.

Also, I can't see the manufacturer or supplier offering a sample for a teardown.

[Delta]

Jesus H Christ 

Unless the models (people) in the photos are giants, there is no way that thing is small enough to be hand-luggage.

There is also no way airport staff would allow you to ride that thing around a busy airport.

[Fungus]

Unless the models (people) in the photos are giants,

Surely you mean midgets.

(sorry, "small people")

....there is no way that thing is small enough to be hand-luggage.
There is also no way airport staff would allow you to ride that thing around a busy airport.

Those were two of my first thoughts as well.

Unless it's fast then it's a complete waste of time. Pulling a wheeled, hand-luggage size bag is basically no effort at all anyway.

If it's fast then there's no way they'll let you ride it.

I can easily imagine the People Of Walmart buying this so they won't have to walk though airports. I'd love to see a video of the results of a 350-pounder trying to ride a tiny suitcase (will the surgeons be able to extract it afterwards?)

[Delta]

Unless the models (people) in the photos are giants,

Surely you mean midgets.

(sorry, "small people")

Erm, that's a negative ghostrider!  Think about it...  Big people make contraption look small... 

[Kalvin]

If they were saying something like their product would weigh 2kg then that would warrant "debunking" as it's obvious you couldn't make something strong enough to carry a person, pack a motor and a battery and have the thing be that light.

2kg would be difficult to achieve but not impossible IMO. Something like 4 kg should be no problem at all.

Some bicycle racing teams may have evaluated this already. For a reason or another they haven't released their findings yet.

[wraper]

If they were saying something like their product would weigh 2kg then that would warrant "debunking" as it's obvious you couldn't make something strong enough to carry a person, pack a motor and a battery and have the thing be that light.

2kg would be difficult to achieve but not impossible IMO. Something like 4 kg should be no problem at all.

Some bicycle racing teams may have evaluated this already. For a reason or another they haven't released their findings yet.

some are already busted on this. http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/electric-motor-system-used-by-banned-belgian-cyclist-revealed-by-uci-222620

[Kilrah]

2kg would be difficult to achieve but not impossible IMO.

Umm... I'd like to see that given that 2kg is the weight of an already lightweight piece of standard luggage of the same size 

So adding the capacity to withstand the weight of a person, a battery, propulsion system and charger gimmick for 0 extra grams would be a bit challenging.

OK, maybe with aircraft-grade carbon fiber construction and very custom equipment, but then it's the $995 price that would become unrealistic and warrant the debunking...

[wraper]

So adding the capacity to withstand the weight of a person, a battery, propulsion system and charger gimmick for 0 extra grams would be a bit challenging.

OK, maybe with aircraft-grade carbon fiber construction and very custom equipment, but then it's the $995 price that would become unrealistic and warrant the debunking...

I didn't say that 2kg for $995. Just that technically is not impossible to do.

Umm... I'd like to see that given that 2kg is the weight of an already lightweight piece of standard luggage of the same size 

2Kg is a lot, I have pretty sturdy bag about 3x size of that and it wights only 3kg.

[ConKbot]

Given the results of hoverboards and their tendency for rapid exothermic events, I'll pass on silly little scooters with big ass batteries in the passenger compartment of airplanes.

They are using a 150w brushed dc motor instead of something nice like a brushless, so you know the rest of the construction is going to be just as dedicated to keeping the BOM as low as possible.