| Jean-Yves Blondeau | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jean-Yves Blondeau 1970 (age 41–42) Aix-les-Bains, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | Rollerman |
| Alma mater | École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d'art |
| Occupation | Designer |
| Known for | Inventing the 31-wheel roller suit |
| Parents | Paul Blondeau Micheline Blondeau |
| Website | |
| www.buggy-rollin.com | |
Jean-Yves Blondeau (born 1970, Aix-les-Bains), also known as "Rollerman", is a French designer who is best known for inventing the 31-wheel roller suit.
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Jean-Yves Blondeau was born in 1970 in Aix-les-Bains, Savoy, France to Paul Blondeau and Micheline Blondeau. He has four brothers and a sister.[1]
Jean-Yves Blondeau is the inventor of the 31-wheel roller suit (also known as the wheel suit or buggy rollin). This suit places a number of rollers (similar to those found on rollerblades) on most of the major joints, the torso, and the back.[2] The wearer can ride in a variety of positions (upright, prone, supine, on all fours, etc.) at speeds of up to 70 mph (116 km/h) in downhill.[3] He has been featured on television shows in several countries on all continents. The buggy rollin wheel suit can be practiced on any similar surface as roller skate.[4][5]
He carried out the roller suit as part of his graduation project at the industrial design school École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d'art (also known as the Olivier de Serres) in Paris. The study theme was: "systems that underline the sensations caused by the displacement of the human center of gravity in relation to support points in order to move into space". The research phase lasted for 6 months, followed by 1 month of synthesis and 2 months for producing the prototype. Then followed a year of secret patent application writing, finally published in June 1995.[6]
Since then, six generations of buggy-rollins have been elaborated. They include different creations from the most basic kneepad with rollers to the most sophisticated one called "Super Rollin Bionic Woman" (SURBO). The prototypes have evolved into safer, more comfortable and easier machines that can be adapted to all different morphologies.[6]
Two of his suits can be seen in a short scene partway through the end credits of the 2008 Jim Carrey film Yes Man.[4] Two other suits were featured in a commercial for Mennen filmed in South Africa and intended for distribution in South America in 2010.[7] He also featured in a commercial for Megapass, a broadband telecommunication service in South Korea.[8] In 2011 he took part in Stan Lee's Superhumans TV program.