The Segway

[GlennT]

Does anyone know if a FEL is available for the Segway? If you are not familiar with this vehicle, it can be viewed at www.segway.com

 

[Mike_Dumond]

I waited a whole year for a scooter. I can't believe it. But, I bet he makes beaucoup bucks on it. Maybe a back blade, hmmmm.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

After all the hype on this thing, I was hoping for something a bit more exotic. Perhaps an over-unity motor, or an electro-gravitic drive. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Still, the gadget-lover in me is interested...

In our rural setting, my wife and I could take our evening walks without incurring any of the associated health benefits.

Don't mind me.. just in a goofy mood today!

Bob Trevithick

 

[PitbullMidwest]

<font color=blue>FEL is available for the Segway? </font color=blue>

If there is, it won't require counterweight, the inventor claims the gyros make it nearly impossible to tip over. Now, if John Deere or Kubota were to add gyros....

 

[DVerbarg]

<font color=blue>if John Deere or Kubota were to add gyros....</font color=blue> we wouldn't need tilt meters anymore and Rick's business would dryup /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif. Hey Rick, maybe you could work out a deal with segway to implement "tip-proof" technology in tractors /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif...

DaveV

 

[Harv]

You know, I've been following this Segway thing the last couple of days, and although I find it an interesting, and even fun concept, I'm at a loss to picture what market it's going to address. Mind you, I've spent the last several years proving I have absolutely no business sense. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

At some $3,500 a pop, it is more than a novelty item, so it must have some "serious" applications. I can sort of see mail carriers using them in suburban areas, but I know of some dogs in my own neighborhood who are just waiting to find out if they taste good. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

From what I've heard, one of the target markets is pedestrian commuters, those who have a regular, long walk along the sidewalks getting to and from work. It turns out that such a vehicle would be illegal on sidewalks as the current laws now read. Oops! /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif So then they would have to turn to the streets. Oops! Illegal there, too. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif The possible exception would be areas which have bike lanes, and even then there would be issues.

Since they do have pretty good off-road capability, maybe they would be good for folks in the country whose mailbox is a far piece from the house. But then, that's what we have tractors for, isn't it? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

All in all, I guess I'm a little disturbed by something that is intended to replace walking. There goes the last bit of real exercise a lot of people ever get. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Paul_in_CT]

I could see large manufacturing companies using them. Boeing, GE The Pentagon,etc. Many of these places use a number of golf carts, bicycles,etc in their facilities because the have huge buildings spread out over large areas. But I`m with you Harv if it isnt that far and you have no major health issues then walk. Sometimes I wonder how many people need those electric carts. You see more and more in the malls. I will take the stairs if feasible as opposed to waiting for an elevator or riding the escalator. Many times the stairs are quicker because everyone is waiting for the same elevator because they are to lazy to walk one flight of stairs (up or down)

 

[Bird]

I agree, Harv. Looks like a great novelty item that rich folks, particularly teenagers, will buy for fun. But I really haven't been able to imagine a practical use for one yet. Maybe that's because for me it is more tiring to stand in one place than to keep walking.

I saw the guy on TV with a briefcase mounted on one, but can it pull a trailer; maybe then I could imagine a practical use for it.

 

[PitbullMidwest]

From what I've read its not the segway itself that is revolutionary, but the technology. The scooter is simply the platform to introduce advances in gyroscopic stabilization and direction censing control to the general public.

As the name implies, the segway is the vehicle (no pun intended) that will lead this technology to bigger and perhaps more practical uses. History shows that the one who discovers or develops a new technology often has no practical application for it, but once the genie is one of the bottle others will greatly expand on it.

My 7 year old son thought it was neat, but said he would rather have some snow and a snow board for Christmas, whew! he just saved me $3,000 /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Good point, Pitbull.

 

[GlueGuy]

I'm with you Harv. Even at $3,000 (which is the price they "thought" it could be sold for with mass production), it's kind of pricey for the intended use. At $8,000-$10,000, it's way beyond pricey. One place where I could imagine it being used is in large factories where people need to get from one place to another relatively quickly. A few of these laying around would enable that. Don't know that it would be cost effective though.

And what's so darn good about eliminating the one little bit of exercise that most people get?

The GlueGuy

 

[GlennT]

Last night (12/6/01) the Segway was featured on TV--I think it might have been on "60 Minutes." And there was good, ol' Martha Steward sailing down the sidewalk on one. I have never had any physics (my work was in the arts and humanities) and I don't understand why the thing isn't tippy. I understand gyroscopes and such, but the Segway only weights 80 pounds and when a 150 pound or so person would lean a bit too far one way or another and extend that center of gravity, it would have to tip over. I don't care how fast the computer would react and cause the wheels to rotate to counteract the tendency to tip over. In other words, you do have to learn how to ride the thing and it's understood that you have to stand pretty darn straight in the saddle or you've got problems. Does that make sense?

 

[TxSam]

I'm no expert here but will give a stab at trying to explain. I read an article about the guy who invented the 'Segway'. One of the things he mentioned that gave him the idea for it was that the very act of simply walking is really a 'controlled fall', in that as when a person moves forward you are shifting your center of gravity forward while placing a foot forward to steady the body in that direction. I invision that the way the scooter works is that when it senses even the slightest change in orientation that the gyros feedback a voltage which causes the motors to react in the direction to 'control the fall'.

Another word on gyro stabilization. It may be the understanding of some people that the gyro in and of itself is 'holding' the object stationary. But in reality gyros are used to sense movement not control it. As a gyro is spinning, any movement, even on an infantesimal scale, generates a voltage, probably in the millivolt range that can then be used to trigger motors, or what have you, to bring the gyro back to a position where there is no longer any voltage being generated. Which, of course, only occurs when the object is completely still or balanced.

Thoroughly confused now?... Hope that helps!

Sam - Tractorless in Big 'D'

 

[GlueGuy]

Sam,

That's pretty close to what I imagine for it as well. In addition the on-board computer on the Segway does its calculations at the rate of 100 per second. As long as the little electric motors have enough acceleration, they should be able to keep up.

Still think it costs too much though. I also thought we were beginning to figure out that exercise is good for you... I guess I won't be an early adopter. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

The GlueGuy

 

[GlennT]

Thanks. I still don't want one. I bet dogs would chase it.

 

[TxSam]

I wouldn't want one either. It is an interesting concept and may be of some use somewhere, at this point I think it would be a niche market type item. Of course I'm probably wrong, but I'm sure the cost would have to come down quite a bit to gain widespread acceptance.

Sam - Tractorless in Big 'D'

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Bird,

I think it is a practical way to separate capital from venture capitalists./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Al

 

[Bird]

Yeah, Al, I think you may be right./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I figure I'd give $50 for one just to play with, but don't think I'd go any higher than that./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Harv,
Who do we know that can overcome the laws and restrictions on use?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

click here for the answer.
Al

 

[PaulinSD]

With a 3 point hitch and pto.... I could mount my boom flail on it and make trimming those subdivision lots a breeze. Needs a cup holder, though.

Paul