Segway people mover....

[Harvdoggy]

Alright yeah the invention supposedly going to revolutionize transportation or something like that was revealed today.....basically a scooter i think, the only thing i find special about it is that it balances itself. I mean this thing was not that amazing.

 

[Lao Tzu]

it was de facto known that it was a scooter like a week after the idea came out in january 2000.

the guy also invented a wheelchair that can climb stairs. ever seen one? nope. same with this thing. it costs $8000 (but a cheaper $6500 model will be out next year). that is the price of a decent used car. its just a $250 gas powered razor scooters (they were popular last year. gas powered scooters) with a $7750 gyroscope added.

 

[18echo]

my girl said the same thing about it not being amazing. think about it, though. you stand over the axle of two wheels and put no effort into balancing. whenever you stop or go, you don't put any effrot into leaning or compensating for bodyweight. it does it all. got to yahoo to see the gma video clip. it's a little more advanced than people think. it just doesn't look impressive.

 

[MasterMind]

How fucking lazy can mankind get......I think its a really sad commentary on our times you have to have functioning legs to use it so walk your ass wherever you have to go.....you know that guy got paid 90 million dollars for that thing?

 

[JohnnyO]

Make it go 65 mph and I'll buy one. 12mph is TOO SLOW .. I can go faster on a bike..

 

[BigPhysicsBastard]

sorry, not impressed by that thing......and gyroscopic stabilization has been around forever. The only thing revolutionary is the software that was written to control the stabilization........other than that, it's a gas powered scooter for the "balance impaired". Now if you all want to see somthing fucking impressive......try to find this contraption that was featured on a ripley's episode. It was basically 8ft stilts in the form of ostrich legs that functioned like them as well. The setup, although a pain in the ass to get into, allowed a human to run over 40mph with "minimal" muscle input. Seeing the dude running over the desert at 40+mph looking like a AT/AT from star wars was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

 

[the nature boy]

my girl said the same thing about it not being amazing. think about it, though. you stand over the axle of two wheels and put no effort into balancing. whenever you stop or go, you don't put any effrot into leaning or compensating for bodyweight. it does it all. got to yahoo to see the gma video clip. it's a little more advanced than people think. it just doesn't look impressive.

you're right. The major drawback the developers are having deals with how it looks. But once you ride it your feelings will change. I think what's important is the future implications this device might have. I uses litte to no energy and takes up very little space.

 

[Lao Tzu]

if the gyroscopes work so well why haven't they been implanted on high riding SUV's which have a tendency to tip over (i think that would be a better idea than using them for a motorized scooter. something that has existed for years).

or used when construction workers have to work at high altitutdes.

the technology could be useful (the portable gyroscope that can't be knocked over. if that is new. i don't know how long portable ones have been around). but the scooter isn't anything special.

 

[the nature boy]

nordstrom, dare I ask. You're an eagles fan??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

 

[Lao Tzu]

that stilt idea is cool. i wonder how people avoid falling.

 

[Lao Tzu]

nordstrom, dare I ask. You're an eagles fan??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

no. i tried starting a thread where everyone would use someone else's avatar, for shits & giggles. so i stole madbombers.

 

[Test boy]

I'd give up $200 for one.