Handlebar-less Segway

[team222badbrad]

Looks like very little ground clearance.

What happens when you hit a 1'' high object such as a rock or stick?

It looks like a flying death trap to me because thats what you are going to be doing.

[Stu Bloom]

Reminds me of the saying "Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see".

I am extremely skeptical. Is this a prototype or a real product? Not sure what I am seeing in the picture on the right, but it looks like some type of stabilizing wheel or roller under the platform - not real balancing technology. I'll believe it when I get to see and try one. Until then I will believe it is a piece of junk like the "Q" scooter is/was.

While I often ride my Segway with no hands and have learned how to make gradual sweeping turns by leaning, there is no way to really manuever without an "active" steering control.

[Simon Strauss]

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

there is no way to really manuever without an "active" steering control.

the article does say that it has a "handheld controller" but you and some of the others are still right, without being given better pictures or seeing one in action we don't know if these just control the lateral movements that are controlled on the Segway or every aspect of its movement. I however still think it looks awesome and cant find any reasons why if a Segway works this cant(keep in mind I've only rode a Segway once at regionals for a few minutes). it appears to me that the guy in the picture is using its wider surface to position himself on it in a diagonal way with his legs farther apart(like on a skateboard) which may allow for the stability that was lost by taking the handle bars off to be regained, and even if this thing turns out to be nothing more than an RC transporter like Cuog suggested as long as they don't try to sell it as a Segway i think its still awesome and may turn out to be more affordable than Segways or dare i say possibly more practical due to its small size. (I'm not saying Dean's invention isn't great, because it is. I'm just saying that we cant all get so wrapped up in FIRST and forget that GP doesn't exist as much in the real world, besides if you look at it from an Adam Smith point of view competition leads to improvements and benefits the people)

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by nycpunk

it appears to me that the guy in the picture is using its wider surface to position himself on it in a diagonal way with his legs farther apart(like on a skateboard) which may allow for the stability that was lost by taking the handle bars off to be regained, and even if this thing turns out to be nothing more than an RC transporter like Cuog suggested as long as they don't try to sell it as a Segway i think its still awesome and may turn out to be more affordable than Segways or dare i say possibly more practical due to its small size. (I'm not saying Dean's invention isn't great, because it is. I'm just saying that we cant all get so wrapped up in FIRST and forget that GP doesn't exist as much in the real world, besides if you look at it from an Adam Smith point of view competition leads to improvements and benefits the people)

AFAIK, Dean already owns the patent rights to that handle-less Segway. This picture was from one of Dean's patent applications, and covers alternate designs of the Segway. As you can see, none of these have handle bars. Figure 11 is very similar to the handlebar-less "Segway" in this thread. This isn't about GP, its about ideas and rights. Dean has repeatedly said that ideas are what will drive the future, so he sure is not going to let someone else "steal" (even if unintentional) his ideas while his patents are still valid. Although GP is not the law of the land outside of FIRST, patent rights are.

[Simon Strauss]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

AFAIK, Dean already owns the patent rights to that handle-less Segway. This picture was from one of Dean's patent applications, and covers alternate designs of the Segway. As you can see, none of these have handle bars. Figure 11 is very similar to the handlebar-less "Segway" in this thread. This isn't about GP, its about ideas and rights. Dean has repeatedly said that ideas are what will drive the future, so he sure is not going to let someone else "steal" (even if unintentional) his ideas while his patents are still valid. Although GP is not the law of the land outside of FIRST, patent rights are.

well i didn't know that and no one had really made it clear so thanks for clearing it up for me and I'm sure others who may have shared my confusion.

[Elgin Clock]

I don't see any official ties to Segway LLC, so don't call it a Segway.
That thing is an insult, and yes.. as Brad said, looks very dangerous.

I would move this out of this forum, and seperate the words Segway and this thread's product focus from each other.

While it does look like a good use of technology, it seems like it has more hazards and potential for accidents than a Segway does.

I hope a lawsuit is underway as well. Seriously.

Anyways.. if this mockery of the one and only Segway does in fact make it to market somehow, I hope it's not marketed as a Personal Transportation Device, but more as a scientific robotic platform.. just as the Segway RMP is.