My original point was that I witnessed these being used at a conference, to get around a conference. What is the alternative? Walking. All things being equal

My original point was that I witnessed these being used at a conference, to get around a conference. What is the alternative? Walking. All things being equal my point stands. These devices, when used in situations like I described are nothing more than stand-up mobility scooters. There can never be a net positive health benefit over the alternative which is walking. In terms of transportation to and from work, I believe there's a statistic somewhere that states the average bus or train commuter will walk at least five miles a day in order to facilitate that commute. There's no way that even a 20 mile commute on one of these would require the energy of five miles of walking. Further, if you look at the manufacturers own marketing, these are the "size of a briefcase" for a reason with the intent clearly targeted at reducing that five miles of walking by being able to take it with you on the train.