The name Segway is associated with tech failure. After all, inventor Dean Kamen once thought that his two-wheeled scooters would become an alternative to cars. He pictured a future where people buzzed to the supermarket, library, or work on their Segway PT scooters.
That vision hasn’t quite come to fruition and it’s pretty rare that you see someone using a Segway. They are still around and have recently celebrated their 10th anniversary. So while they may be known as a tech failure, they are still alive and kicking.
Let’s talk about how the Segway really works though.
Powering the Segway
Each Segway PT is powered by electric motors which are, in turn, fueled by phosphate-based lithium-ion batteries. Segway owners can charge these batteries by plugging their Segways into common residential electrical sockets. The unit doesn’t tip over thanks to its two computers loaded with proprietary software, pair of tilt sensors, and five gyroscopic sensors.
Making the Segway Move
Users play a role in making the Segway work too. When riders want to go forward, they move a control bar away from themselves. If they want to move backwards, they move the same control bar closer to their body. The Segway notices a change in its balance point and adjusts the speed to keep its riders balanced. To steer, riders tilt a handlebar in the direction in which they need to move. Today’s Segway PT can move up to 12.5 miles an hour. It performs best, obviously, in communities which include lots of sidewalks and other areas in which the Segway can properly motor.
Lowered Expectations
The buzz was pretty big around the Segway when it was initially announced, but it never quite lived up to it all. Some even estimated that the Segway would be more popular than the Internet overall!
In the 10 years since its release, the Segway hasn’t entirely failed, but its strange look and goofy riding style has made it nearly impossible to achieve its expected level of success.
