Segway's Newest Self-balancing Vehicle is an Egg-Shaped Wheelchair 57
Segway's newest self-balancing vehicle won't require you to stand up. From a report: Dubbed the S-Pod, the new egg-shaped two-wheeler from Segway-Ninebot is meant to let people sit while they effortlessly cruise around campuses, theme parks, airports, and maybe even cities -- all of the same places you'd expect to see one of the company's iconic (if still a bit dorky) stand-up vehicles. The S-Pod is powered by basically the same gyroscopic self-balancing technology as a traditional Segway. But unlike a traditional Segway, which is driven by leaning forward, backward, and to the sides, the S-Pod is controlled using a little joystick on the right side of the seat. Segway says its self-balancing technology will always keep the chair level and that the two-wheel setup will allow for quick changes in direction even while stopped. (That said, there are three more small wheels visible on the underside of the chair, presumably for moving the S-Pod while its motors aren't on.)
That's some weird egg you have there. (Score:5, Funny)
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Maybe you should have your chicken checked out?
Looks to me like someone combined the Men In Black egg chairs with Dr.Xavier's wheelchair.
Must be some weird bird... (Score:2)
to have eggs shaped like that.
Re: Must be some weird bird... (Score:2)
Should be both (Score:2)
It would be an easy mod to provide stand-up assistance for people who can stand for very short time, such as to pick something off a grocery shelf.
Nice weather only? (Score:5, Insightful)
Nothing like sitting in a bucket during a rainstorm
Free whirlpool with every sale! (Score:2)
(Beans included.)
Pimps will love it!
I don't get the Niche? (Score:2, Insightful)
The original Segway didn't take up too much more space then a normal standing person. Which allowed for motorized transport in areas where you have walking traffic. Its auto balance was suppose to be easier to ride then a traditional scooter.
This chair isn't much smaller then mobility scooters, and it isn't offering any additional advantages other then some increased agility, which I just see as hazardous.
That said the Segway was a fun fad about 20 years ago. But the cheaper electric scooter seemed to fill
Re: I don't get the Niche? (Score:2)
Then always refers to time, than is always a comparison. These words are not interchangeable with one another.
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Yeah don't get it. Bigger than an scooter, elevates you up to make you look extra fashionable and as other posters have said: driving around in a bucket in the rain sounds like loads of fun.
Re:I don't get the Niche? (Score:4, Insightful)
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Obesity is a usually symptom of another problem you insensitive clod.
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As someone who actually is disabled I can tell you that the last thing I want is a giant aid that takes up masses of space and draws attention to me.
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then a normal standing person
than
then a traditional scooter
than
then mobility scooters
than
then some increased agility
than
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A cheap electric scooter is great. Unless your ankle is immoblized by disability and you can't balance on one, like me.
I can generally walk, and the vast majority of time I do. Something like this would be useful for longer journeys, like from my bus stop to my office, which is about 20 minutes each way at my speed, and something my doctor really really wishes I would STOP doing. It would also open up some options further away than I can currently safely walk.
Of course it's going to be more expensive than
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People are too fucking fat to stand up anymore.
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The balancing seems pointless though - why not just use one of the extra wheels all the time to make it a tricycle setup? Maybe on hills this is better and that would be a big boost over mobility scooters, but their videos always showed it being used on flat surfaces. I can see the need for smaller mobility scooters, as the current ones are just way too big, but that's a market for people with disabilities whereas this product seems to be intended for people who are perfectly capable of walking.
What is nee
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It does look to be a real cheap ass design, little consideration put into actual use. There are better designs possible, I am thinking cocoon for the lower portion bending at the knee, keeping the dysfunctional bits out of the way, sealing in compactly. A four wheels, the wheels with inflatable tyres within inflatable tyres. So wheel, rim, tyre and then tyre fitting to the tyre and another tyre fitted to that tyre. This too allow greater deflection for climbing stairs whilst not ballooning out, probably alt
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You lost me at your triple layered tyres.
Maybe you should submit your design to Segway and invite them to get rich with you.
Wall-e (Score:3)
Reading the comments then looking at the picture. I can just think of cautionary tail from a sci-fi cartoon Wall-E where all the humans are bound to chairs because they have forgotten to walk.
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As it is, I'll see kids moving using "hoverboards" (I hate that name since they don't actually hover) instead of walking. The hoverboard doesn't go much faster than your legs will carry you. Even a skateboard goes faster. But that seems like too much trouble to these people so they "hoverboard" everywhere instead of walking.
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As it is, I'll see kids moving using "hoverboards" (I hate that name since they don't actually hover) instead of walking. The hoverboard doesn't go much faster than your legs will carry you. Even a skateboard goes faster. But that seems like too much trouble to these people so they "hoverboard" everywhere instead of walking.
Our campus is about four by four miles in an almost square shape. The IT people used to have to pick up and deliver computers all over campus. Plus we are car unfriendly.
So the original Segway's with a basket for the computers made a great way to allow the Techs to do their job. Time wise it made sense as well.
These look pretty interesting, because yes - the Segway stance looks pretty dorky. The downside is it takes up more space, so my guess is that on campus, there will be a pecking order establish
One more step completed (Score:2)
Compare the S-Pod [vox-cdn.com] to the personal transport pods in Wall-E [akamaihd.net].
Comment removed (Score:3)
Speed limited (Score:2)
Please make it speed limited to the average speed of pedestrians in it's vicinity.
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Yeah, that 24mph top speed is a little scary, unless it's got collision avoidance or something.
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Can we simultaneously also get cars not to park in the middle of the street, blocking not one, but two lanes of traffic in downtown Boston?
It's the only place I've ever lived where people seem to think it's okay to park in the middle of a multi-lane road for extended periods of time. I went for a bike ride earlier today, and what do I see? A taxi (a real one), just parked, dead stop, in the middle of Tremont, blocking traffic. Guy didn't give two shits.
I also wish they'd enforce Don't Block the Box, because
Make it compatible with public transport (Score:3)
But that somehow sounds like a dystopian science fiction nightmare...
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That's an idea, buses could become basically aircraft carriers for self driving scooters that get you the rest of the way. Hell could have buses that don't have any setting with the assumption that people that really need a seat also really need a scooter and so will bring their own.
"Cities will be redsigned (Score:2)
Re: "Cities will be redsigned (Score:2)
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Oh man, was it Steve Jobs that said that? I always assumed it was Dean Kamen.
I have seen the future (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: I have seen the future (Score:2)
No (Score:3)
This is not news for nerds or stuff that matters. These things have been around for ages. https://www.2kerr.com/ [2kerr.com] was years before Segway and they offer quite a few models.
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The website is not tagged "Only news that's new to zmooc", and with good reason.
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This may be new to you, but it's not news: not everything that you don't know yet classifies as news. More specifically, if it's not new, it's not news.
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Ah, but it is new. Segway didn't have this before, they do now: That makes it new.
I hope that helps clarify things for you.
A new sit-down Segway (Score:2)
Oh god (Score:2)
Re: Oh god (Score:2)
Textbook example of the insanity of current tech. (Score:2)
Just put a damn wheel in the front/back! And for a few dollars, it balances all by itself! Whoa!
No batteriea needed. No balancing tech needed. No thousanda of dollars needed!
Just like the Segway, it is retarded in every thinkable way.
You know how I would have built the Segway, to balance without power or cost?
Put the wheels *behind* each other!
Wow! Magic! I invented the bicycle!
it even has a seat already! No need to stand.
What is this? Job-creation schemes for overengineers?
Reminds me of the DIY Segway (Score:2)
After the Segway came out there was a community of people trying to build their own. They worked well enough indoors, but hitting a large pebble could cause you to faceplant. Finally one guy posted a video of his handling all kinds of sidewalk debris. He said in a few days he'd post the great innovation that made his so stable.
People were excited. They could hardly wait to see what he'd changed about the algorithm or how he had tweaked the design to make it so stable. He kept them in suspense for a few
Will it carry 400lb people? (Score:2)
Seems like everywhere I go there's some huge people riding rascals or the like. Their primary "disability" appears to be weighing 400lbs or so. Bet they'll love a self-balancing chair. They'll never have to stand again!
Knock it and Hop Back in You SUV (Score:2)
!!! ***WALK*** !!! (Score:2)
Unless you're literally disabled, or so old that you literally can't get around on your own two feet anymore, WALK! You all need the exercise.
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I can't walk at 20mph.
I can't walk seven miles to get to work without needing a rest and a shower when I get there.
I can't walk while carrying a heavy bag without entirely fucking my knees, making walking seven metres a painful slow difficult challenge for the next week.
But I only walk around 4-6km a day, so yes, I do need the exercise. I'm still not sure what the fuck that has to do with this new wheeled chair.
Finally! (Score:2)
Everybody knows we don't sit enough.
why ? (Score:2)
Doesn't sufficiently explain why you need to build this with 2 wheels intead of 4. The reasons hinted at are all nonsense.
It's a cool tech, but I doubt this is where it's useful.
Cool Eggs (Score:2)
How about not? (Score:2)
How about you walk your lazy ass around campus like a normal person? Cheep, excessive carbs and added sugars aren't the only thing making us fat, being lazy and sitting on your ass is too. Or do people want to turn into Wally slobs riding around in this kind of thing drinking their fat ass into an early grave?
Late for that meeting? Well, you should've left earlier to be on time, but you were probably too busy scarfing down another fat pill or soda. Now run and get some exercise on the way.
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No kidding. When I went to college the commuter parking lot was past the pastures. It was a good hike to get to classes (40 years ago). Today those parking lots are buildings, the cow pastures long gone.