The extra sensors add redundancy, to make the vehicle more reliable. Additionally, the Segway has two tilt sensors filled with electrolyte fluid. Like your inner ear, this system figures out its own position relative to the ground based on the tilt of the fluid surface. All of the tilt information is passed on to the "brain" of the vehicle, two electronic controller circuit boards comprising a cluster of microprocessors.
The Segway has a total of 10 onboard microprocessors, which boast, in total, about three times the power of a typical PC. Normally, both boards work together, but if one board breaks down, the other will take over all functions so that the system can notify the rider of a failure and shut down gracefully. The Segway requires this much brain power because it needs to make extremely precise adjustments to keep from falling over.
In normal operation, the controller boards check the position sensors about times per second. The microprocessors run an advanced piece of software that monitors all of the stability information and adjusts the speed of several electric motors accordingly.
The electric motors, which are powered by a pair of rechargeable nickel metal hydride NIMH or Lithium-ion Li-ion batteries, can turn each of the wheels independently at variable speeds.
When the vehicle leans forward, the motors spin both wheels forward to keep from tilting over. When the vehicle leans backward, the motors spin both wheels backward. When the rider operates the handlebar control to turn left or right, the motors spin one wheel faster than the other, or spin the wheels in opposite directions, so that the vehicle rotates.
This is certainly an amazing machine, but is it really as important as the Internet, as some have claimed? In the next section, we'll see what sort of impact this machine might have on the modern world.
Inventor Dean Kamen admits that the Segway can never completely replace the car, because it doesn't have near the same capabilities. The standard HTi80 model only goes about 12 miles per hour 20 kph , and it has to be hooked up to household electrical current for about six hours to store up enough juice for a mile km journey.
Obviously, this sort of machine wouldn't do you much good on a cross-country road trip. But Kamen does believe the Segway is a superior option for getting around a city. Cars take up a lot of room, so as soon as you have a bunch of people driving in a constrained area like a city street , you get heavy traffic jams.
It's also a hassle to park cars, and they are very expensive to maintain. All in all, a car is not an optimal machine for short trips in a crowded area. The Segway is only slightly larger than a person, so it does not cause as much congestion as a car.
As a sidewalk vehicle , it lets commuters zip through crowds, skipping the roadways completely. Just like scooters and bicycles, the vehicles will be involved in a good number of pedestrian accidents year to year. But the Segway's supporters say it's only about as dangerous as walking, since the vehicle moves at relatively slow speeds. While it can't get people to their destinations at top speeds, the Segway can zip by slow-moving, bumper-to-bumper traffic. Once they get to their destination, riders can carry their Segways inside with them without worrying about parking.
And there's no need to stop by the gas station, as the vehicle runs on ordinary household electricity. Segways are also good machines for getting around crowded warehouses, where tight corridors make it difficult to use bulkier vehicles. People may find them useful for getting around large pedestrian areas, such as airports or amusement parks. There is really no limit to how people might use the vehicle. The Segway can fit in most places you might walk, but it will get you there faster, and you won't exert much energy.
So far, the Segway hasn't made a whole lot of progress changing the world. Since , sales have only numbered in the tens of thousands. The hefty price tag has probably been an obstacle. However, the company recently announced that it will offer financing and leasing options. Segway also hopes that rising gas prices will help to boost sales. Kamen believes more and more people will want the machine, after they get familiar with it and see what it is capable of. To this end, he initially targeted government agencies and large corporations, not the consumer market.
Three groups in Atlanta, Georgia, including the Atlanta Police Department, were the first to try out the Segway on city streets. Only three years after its first mobile wonder, the folks at Segway focused on a four-wheeled, sportier sibling for the original Segway -- currently named the Centaur.
Definitely sharing very similar lineage the main gyroscope-balanced base , the new kid on the Segway block is equipped with more than two extra wheels. The steering utilizes both drive-by-wire technology and regular steering mechanics. While the four-wheel design gives it added maneuverability and a little more speed, drivers can switch up between using all four wheels or just two.
Think of it like having an SUV: For street driving, there's no need to turn on the four-wheel-drive system in your Touareg; but when you want to take it off-road, the capability is there. Centaur is an SUV, too -- a "Segway" utility vehicle, able to cover more ground, literally, than its older sib. These specifications are for the standard HT i model. To view additional specs, check out Segway's Products page. For information on the development of the Segway and the story of its creator, check out the links on the next page.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. How Segways Work. Photo courtesy Segway, LLC. Segway Recall. Contents Segway Parts Segway vs. Cars Segway Specs. Segway Parts " ". The Segway consists of four major elements: the wheel and motor assembly, the sensor system, the circuit board brain and the operator control system.
Segway vs. Cars " ". Several alternative Segway designs from one of Dean Kamen's patent applications. The Centaur. Read More. Segway Specs " ". Top speed: This is about three times typical walking speed. Weight: 83 lbs 38 kg Width: The Segway's footprint how much space it covers on the ground is 19 by 25 inches 48 by This makes the Segway about the same width as an average size person, so it doesn't take up much space on the street.
The platform is 8 inches 20 cm off the ground. Weight capacity: pound kg rider and cargo. Range: About 17 miles 28 km on even ground, with a single charge on a lithium-ion Li-ion battery, and miles with a single charge on a NiMH nickel metal hydride battery. Driver interface: The Segway has a small LCD screen that tells the driver how much battery power is left and how well the vehicle is functioning.
The screen displays a cartoon face, which expresses the general condition of the vehicle. Motors: Each of the Segway's wheels is driven by a 2- horsepower electric motor that produce no emissions.
Transmission: The two-stage transmission, built by Segway and Axicon Technologies, has a compact gear ratio. To maintain balance, the vehicle moves the wheels at exactly at the right speed. Segway calls this behaviour "dynamic stabilisation" and has patented this unique process that enables the Segway PT to maintain balance on just two wheels.
The Segway PT is comprised of an intelligent network of sensors, mechanical components, a drive system and a steering system. From the moment the driver stands on the vehicle, five gyroscopic sensors and two acceleration sensors begin to analyse the terrain and body position one hundred times per second. The Segway PT feels like an extension of the body. The driver rapidly feels how the slightest steering impulse through body shifting sets the vehicle in motion.
Segway driving is entirely intuitive and you can master control of the vehicle in the shortest time. Thanks to the patented and high precision LeanSteer technology, you can not only steer the vehicle to the exact millimetre, but test out your sports driving ability, just like carving on skis. Just try it out for yourself! How did you find out about us: select Write a E-Mail.
Subscribe Newsletter. We move you. How the Segway PT functions. To move the Segway PT forward or backwards, the driver simply leans forward or backwards. To turn left or right, the driver simple tilts the LeanSteer handlebars to the left or right.
When the driver stands upright, the vehicle stops. Segway engineers call this "dynamic stabilisation". This body related steering belongs to the most intuitive worldwide and contributes substantially to the fun of driving. It is easy to understand what he means when you observe the vehicle in motion. Unlike a car, the Segway PT has only two wheels, which means it is capable of standing upright by itself. How dynamic stabilisation functions. The most fascinating feature of the Segway PT and the key to its handling is its ability to independently maintain balance.
If you stand and lean so far forward that you overbalance, you will generally not fall flat on your face. The brain knows that you are not in a balance because the liquid in the inner ear has moved. This causes the feet to move forward to prevent a fall. As long as you lean forward, the brain will initiate the forward foot movement.
Instead of falling, you move forwards one step after the other. The brain and the muscles. The Coriolis Force describes the deflection of moving objects when they are viewed in a rotating reference frame.
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