DARPA patent application

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Billfred

True, but I don't think the Segway will self-balance while flying through the air with the greatest of ease.
(Can someone with access to one verify that? )

I wouldn't think the Segway would even need to go into any balance modes.. hard as that may sound, since on a static surface it's always in balance mode.

But, Billfred does pose a great question. How do gyro's act in environments when they are being forced against the gravity that helps them balance?

I think I wanna buy a Segway just to throw myself in the air to see what would happen...

Or..

Has anyone ever tried throwing themselves out of an airplane while on a Segway to see it's reaction to conditions like that?
(Ooh ooh.. I'll volunteer. A position as a test "Pilot" for Segway LLC?? What can be cooler than that?)

Idk. I just see this invention leading to something way more than tossing people on roofs. Unless I'm mistaken, I don't see a practical use for this in the scope of the patent and what it claims.. Yet.
Yes, I see it as a working device, but why??

Sometimes we as engineers claim to invent something that of course can make something possible, but we also have to step back and ask our selves why we would want to make that "something" possible.

In all of Dean's/DEKA/Segway's other patents, they seemed to (ironically) follow the quote from the pixar movie Robots; "See a need, fill a need."
With the Ibot, it was the need for handicapped people to transverse obstacles, and as a side effect raise themselves to eye level of others.
With the Dialysis pump, and heart stent, it was the need to help people dealing with blood transfusions, and other medical problems.

Is there really a need to launch people on top of roofs quickly???

As I see it now, I don't believe there is, but like I said before, there has got to be a secret part 2 of this invention for this to make sense..

I'm just not seeing the big picture yet.

Dave, you said there was video of this device in use??
Can you point us to some links or some references???

Originally Posted by Richard

What a great idea for 2007 FRC ! Call the new game "Just Shoot Me!" (or something similar -- I guess that name is taken by the TV sitcom.)

Are we back on the 2006 hint again?? That was the "shovel's show" from the clue from this past year's game.

The Shovel ,or spade, or David Spade was an actor on "Just Shoot Me". Have we forgotten the clues meaning already??

[lupjohn]

Come on Folks;
Didn't anyone notice the sarcastic tone of the news source to Dean Kamen in general. I think this is a perfect example of the uniformed ridicule that motivates most of us to build something just beyond reach. And besides how many perps will expect the SWAT team to land in their midst perched upon a five story building. LRU

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Are we back on the 2006 hint again?? That was the "spade's show" from the clue from this past year's game.

David Spade was an actor on "Just Shoot Me". Have we forgotten the clues meaning already??

Yeah, I was thinking about "a shovel's show" from the 2006 game hint, too. Just wanted to see if anyone picked up on the ballistic GDC possibilities raised by Dean's recently published patent application. A more recent game design thread included a suggestion that the GDC should test game concepts thoroughly before kick-off. Since a certain GDC member is likely to know much more about the subject invention that we do here in CD land, I thought incorporating the human launcher (aka Benge Bungee) into the 2007 game would allow the committee to leverage existing test data.

Just trying to be helpful ...

[JaneYoung]

Human player/safety helmet

good, good.

(not meaning to be sexist, DJ could incorporate Rocket Man by Elton John into the mix - oh, and the game could be called: To Infinity and Beyond)

[KenWittlief]

If this is really intended to launch a law enforcement officer onto the roof of a 5 story building, then what happens if the 'perp' steps in his way, and give the officer a slight push backwards as he is about to land?

or pops up at the edge of the roof with a sheet of plywood?

I can think of other uses for it though, like delivering groceries to a 5th floor window

or it would be great for shooting bundles of roofing shingles onto the roof of your house (instead of carrying each 50 pound bundle up a ladder)

Ill bet UPS and FEDEX would buy one for each delivery truck - just pick an open window and yell "INCOMING!"

could also greatly speed up olympic events, like the high dive - instead of having to climb the ladder for the 10 meter high dive, the athletes could be launched up in two seconds

I can even see new sporting events - with one of these, and lets say... about ten trampolenes, spaced out about 50 feet apart....

BTW, since the forces involved would be identical, shouldnt it be possble for someone to jump off a 5 story building onto the raised chair, and have the system catch him? Shouldnt it work in both directions?

[Andrew Blair]

I guess my problem with this being used in tactical situation is similar to what Ken said.

Whats a better target that a SWAT guy trying to prepare himself on this giant pnuematic launcher sitting not more than ten or twenty feet from the building?

What ever happened to helos? Seems like one would do a better job. A large trailer/pnuematic launcher is as good an RPG magnet as a Littlebird.

But it is really, really far outside the box!

[dlavery]

Just a few quick comments:

Yes, this thing is real.

Yes, it really works.

Yes, it has been demonstrated to the very-top-level brass at DARPA.

Yes, DARPA got REALLY excited.

Yes, it launches a person safely without causing compression injuries.

Yes, DARPA has a very specific application in mind for it.

Yes, the "is the 'projectile' a sitting duck during set-up time" issue has been considered, and solved.

Yes, some of the members of the 2006 GDC got to see the videos of the thing in action. Unfortunately, it was too late to incorporate any of the resulting ideas into the 2006 game.

Yes, I have already determined that the device is capable of launching 2,160 Krispy Kreme donuts into the back seat of my Mustang with a vertical displacement of 65 feet, without cracking the sugary glaze on a single donut.

-dave

[Andrew Blair]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Yes, the "is the 'projectile' a sitting duck during set-up time" issue has been considered, and solved.

-dave

Well of course! Just use adaptive electronic camouflage on it! Doh!

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Yes, I have already determined that the device is capable of launching 2,160 Krispy Kreme donuts into the back seat of my Mustang with a vertical displacement of 65 feet, without cracking the sugary glaze on a single donut.

-dave

Now we know what the thing is really good for.

[Andrew Blair]

Okay, scrawled on a napkin at dinner, I figured that for a fifty foot launch, neglecting extra oomph to counter air resistance, a "launchee" would encounter ~ 4 g's. Really, not as bad as I expected, but the onset of the force is in ~ 1/3 of a second. I think the major obstacle in the design, which I'm sure has been taken care of by now, is to secure the launchee to the launcher, to get him going, and dissipate force, and then to release him. Dave, do you know how they did that?

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Just a few quick comments:

Yes, this thing is real.
Yes, it really works.

Yes, I know where the device lives

Yes, I have helped on this project (lifting mostly)

Yes, I have seen it work

Yes, I volunteered to get shot.

Yes, It is awesome.

[petek]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

Yes, I volunteered to get shot.

Yes, It is awesome.

Does that mean you were shot? Or, do they have a rule against shooting crazy people, figured anyone who would volunteer to be shot must be crazy, realized someone already wrote that book and went home?

[Greg Needel]

no...i really want to but the deka crash dummy is the only one going right now.

[JaneYoung]

So how does the deka crash dummy land?
Seriously.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Jane

So how does the deka crash dummy land?
Seriously.

With a nice thud I'm sure, since it lacks the capability of grace and the ability to gain style points as humans do.

Well.. some humans. Others are not so graceful.

Re: Me on a dance floor.