'IT' Revealed. Self-Balancing People Mover (My title: Electric Scooter with gyros)

Drudge ^ | 12-02-01 | Drudge

[HiTech RedNeck]

PLEASE lets keep them off the sidewalks

Yep, something like this would be a serious hazard to pedestrians. I'd want to see a serious anti-collision, anti-hazard system (e.g. can't plow into a pedestrian or a show window or fall off a curb) integrated into any machine this massive before letting it into any area where it will mix freely with pedestrians and bicyclists. There's a reason why motor vehicles aren't allowed on sidewalks and their drivers are licensed.

[Grut]

I repeat myself, but: bugger 'It'. And bugger Harry Potter, too.

[Fred25]

Since he already has a working model that people have ridden, it's hard to see how it can be a hoax.

You just wait and see. This guy is like the guys who invent all the “perpetual motion” machines that never work.

[Leper Messiah]

Im into drag racing, and I can picture lots of folks using somthing like this instead of a mini bike, moped/scooter, bike ect...

Something like this sounds like a dream to pit crews. I remember when CD players were Huge dollars. DVD players were very expensive only a few years ago. now you can get one for less than $200.

[Fred25]

From the article.....

”If the Postal Service and FedEx deploy this for all their carriers, the company will be busy for the next five years just keeping up with that demand."

This is idiotic. This is a snow job.

[Walkin Man]

Dean Kamen's long-awaited, secret invention, the Segway "will be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy," he tells TIME on the eve of his product's unveiling.

Yeah right! When its 20 below zero I'm gonna hop on my 3000 dollar scooter and ride to work, praying that I don't freeze to death or get robbed while scooting through the downtown! That quote above is some major league HYPE!

[DoughtyOne]

I agree that there is potential. It is difficult to assess before we know what the device is truly like however. I am looking forward to the Good Morning American show tomorrow morning. This is the first time in my life I've made that statement. Heh heh.

[A CA Guy]

Recession world wide is a great time to unviel this. NOT!

[Post Toasties]

There's little doubt that nuclear powered automobiles could also be mass produced, also (just think - no pollution & no waiting at the gas pump!, but they're not, for some pretty obvious reasons.

[SauronOfMordor]

Like it or not, cities are always going to need car-sized streets, because there are plenty of uses for cars and trucks, and only one use for a scooter.

Very narrow niche:

• City needs to have high density (need to be able to get from home to work or whatever without having to cover too many miles)
• City needs to have warm, dry weather for most of the year (If it's sleeting, I WILL be using my car)
• City needs to be low-crime (if the thing is worth $3,000, then you WILL be mugged for it)

How many places meet the above criteria?

[rimtop56]

Exactly. Also, how about down here in Texas when it's 100+ degrees, or anywhere after dark!

[Fred25]

but they're not, for some pretty obvious reasons.

Yeah. They’d weigh 20,000 pounds, they’d be filled with boiling water, and they’d be very dangerous.

[Long Cut]

Word has it, Ford is re-introducing the Mach-1 Mustang next Fall. 320 H.P., all the bells & whistles. Hmmm... that, or this contraption? I cannot wait to pass one on the street, especially after some exhaust modifications. And I'll be warm and listening to Rush on the radio.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

A fascinating new technology that almost certainly won't sell outside of a small niche in the consumer market.

Reminds me about what the CEO of IBM said about computers, when first asked about them. He said that he wasn't interested, since at their multi-million dollar cost, there would never be more than half a dozen computers in the country. When the first IBM PC's came out they were on sale for about $2000, in 1980 dollars, much more than the price of this machine. Today you can get far more advanced machines for about $200, used.

A reasonable assumption is that a high tech machine becomes 90% cheaper every decade. That would make this thing $300 in 2010 and $30 in 2020. I would think that you could get some market penetration at that price. The reasons against comparing this gadget to a bike are in the article. I would think that there would be a large potential market for this device among those unable to walk more than a few steps, the folks you see driving around on those motorized wheelchairs. Those things are not very agile, whereas apparently with this thing, they could go anywhere a person could walk or climb. I'm going to be very interested in this gadget.

[VetoBill]

I really don't have enough information, but there could be big problems if IT is allowed to operate on sidewalks.
Highway and street usage looks like suicide.
If IT is successful, would cities have to put in special IT paths?
Just what we need more ways to spend taxpayer funds.

BTW I wonder if these motor vehicles will need to be licensed and registered.

[Fred25]

This thing is a $3,000 skateboard with a flywheel on it.

[njmaugbill]

But, can I use my Cell phone, and Walkman while scootting down Fifth AVe., in the rain?

bill

[The Cajun]

Word has it, Ford is re-introducing the Mach-1 Mustang next Fall. 320 H.P.

Add about 50 or 60 H.P. and you would be back to the *Good Old Days*.

[Post Toasties]

$300 in 2010 and $30 in 2020

Trust me. You'll never see the segway (sic) for those prices then, if it's even still available.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

A “brilliant” invention goes right on the market and starts selling right away.

Before it is manufactured? that's a good trick!