Segways Recalled
 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...egway_recall_3
According to the article when the battery starts to run low the segway has tipped over causing injury.

I'm sorry, but wasn't this an obvious design requirement to have the software to tell you the battery power, and when it was getting low??

Especially when the Segway can not stand with out power.

Just a thought, (maybe an after-thought is the more appropriate wording).

With the current software, if the battery is low, the Segway beeps at you and the little face on the handlebar frowns. I drove one for about 100 yards before the beeping went away and it ran out of juice (and I just stepped off when that happened). I really don't see how the current setup is a problem.

A Segway can only be idiot proof to a certain extent. If someone falls of after being told for a minute (by a beep) that the battery is about to crap out, then they deserve a bit of pain.

I wonder what the software upgrade is going to do... make the beep louder?

Andy B.

Idiot proof eh?

So if it beeps, maybe the idiot's excuse is that they didn't hear it when it beeped, loud background noise etc.

So maybe the update makes the beep louder, but it should maybe make that little "apple-esque" face on the handle bar flash too!!

2 senses are better than one!!! (Not perfect either but....)


Make something idiot proof, and a better idiot will come along.

Actually I think it does flash red, beep and does a "stick shake". It does plenty to get your attention but it can't make you get off safely. This is what happens when someone does something stupid with new technology, the news flocks to it. I believe the software update makes its more noticable and shuts down earlier to prevent someone from pushing it too far. Thats how the current program works, just a number tweka really.

Plus the thing nearly stops when the battery is low. Oh well, but I wouldn't say that they are recalling it. Why? It's a software update, kinda like saying Microsoft is recalling it's software because of each worm.

I'm sorry...
Anyone who gets hurt b/c they fail to notice their battery is low deserves to get hurt, just like if a battery dies in a match. It happens.

Why do stupid people have to ruin good things?

charge the battery, problem solved. Man, 3 people out of 6,000 and a recall? That's lame.

It's sad, but 3 lawsuits out of 6,000 could still add up to trouble if they won, and in the sue happy society today, it is possible.

Just saw it on TechLive, they said it's a softwre thing and can be fixed in a firmwear upgrade that would take only 15 mins.

Heres an idea, install electric shock buzzers in the handles.

Or another.. how about the Segway stops moving after if gives the alert, and uses all its power left to keep it upright?

I think that your second idea above is a winner. I would consider submitting it to the company.

Maybe there could be three stages: a battery-low buzzer, a "charge your Segway now" buzzer, and a "really sorry, that's as far as we go" setting as in your suggestion.

The Segway is actually being used as a robotics research platform, but I guess that could have it's own thread:

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/mars/rmp.htm

For anyone that lives in the new england area, there is a great article on the front page of the business section of the Boston Globe, about the Segway and it being recalled. I hate to say it, but it is accompanied by a hilarious picture of President Bush when he fell off of his. And even in falling, he looks as if he was enjoying himself. haha, after all of this recall stuff, think that he'll sue??!! Just thought i'd left everyone know about the article.

It's not a "recall". It's a voluntary firmware upgrade. Really quick and relatively painless.

I heard that some dude had to get stitches in his head from his nasty fall. Maybe he was stupid (really stupid), but I don't think he really "deserved" that.

http://www.segway.com/support/recalls/recall_001.html

Segway calls it a voluntary recall.

On slashdot today... robotics guy builds Segway-like device for $2500. Kinda cool.

Link: http://www.tlb.org/scooter.html

Darn he beat my team to it. Well we aren't far behind him and now we can pick his brain.

Upgrade
 

I got the 12.0 upgrade yesterday. The tech from Segway said the problem occurs when the battery is running low and the rider continues to push it into the speed limiter and a bump or small obstacle is encountered. 12.0 will activate the shaker earlier and longer whenever the battery falls below a certain level and the operator hits the limiter.

Not exactly...from what I've read so far on the recall,you actually have to take the whole thing to somebody to get the new firmware...for your analogy to work, we would all have to ship our computers in every time a new patch for Windows was released...(while that might help MS to make things more stable out the door, that's for another discussion)...

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Nate

You are correct. Segway was operating locations in some of the major cities over the week end. I went to Chicago. They removed the handlebars and connected a computer into the plugs. It took about 10 minutes.

Actually, there were two articles in this weeks boston globe concerning the segway. Saturday in the business section was the article talking about the recall, and sunday in the arts section, was one of the guys who helped to design the segway. Thought i'd let you all know. If you don't get the globe you can always check their website.