The Segway was
developed as a personal transportation device. The company Segway LLC in
Manchester, NH is marketing two models. One for commercial use and another,
lighter model for consumers. For those of you interested in a review by
someone who has ridden the Segway there is an excellent article called “The
Technology Behind The Segway” on the
extremetech web site.
It includes some
short video clips of people using it as well as photos.
The aspect most
exciting to me is the potential for a Segway like product to help with
balance. It’s not a difficult step from the current design that uses
balance to steer to a future product that maintains balance and steers
through some other mechanism. In the future you may not have to worry about
keeping your balance. Could be you don’t worry about it now. But for many
people with a movement disorder, Parkinson’s included, balance is a problem
at one time or another.
The Segways cost
between $8,000 and $10,000 now, but the makers expect to lower the cost to
about $3,000 over time.
Visit the
Segway web site and see
what you think of this innovation.
