A history of the monocycle stability and control from inside the wheel

There are two main types of single-wheeled vehicles. In a unicycle, the rider sits above the wheel. These vehicles are recognizable by most people. Less well known is the monocycle, where the rider sits inside the wheel. Like the bicycle, the unicycle and monocycle are statically unstable. Since the center of gravity is lower for the monocycle, this vehicle is potentially easier to ride than the unicycle. Nevertheless, piloting a monocycle is a challenging task. In this article, the history of the monocycle is discussed. One objective of the article is to provide wider publicity for this unusual vehicle to encourage researchers to investigate its stability and control.