[geeks] "IT" / Segway.

[Fogg, James]

I actually am very impressed. I think that this will slowly change cities
and suburban towns. It will take years, but I think it will happen.

Dean Kamen has developed another stable platform machine in the form of a
wheelchair. His wheelchair uses a triangle of wheels on a common axle (three
wheels per side, one axle). In balance mode it uses one wheel per side. It
is in testing at the FDA now and is doing very well. The basis of the design
was that with the three wheels on a common axle it can climb stairs.

My interest in Dean's work is rather personal. I was following his
development of the wheelchair because I will be using one in the future. I
have a slow variation of muscular dystrophy. Now I would like to talk to
segway and see if the segway would be appropriate for people like myself who
are not chairbound yet, but have limitations that can be frustrating.
Personnaly, I am excited at the prospect of being able to "walk" for miles
again. I haven't walked more than 1 mile in several years.

If I didn't have my particular interest in the segway, I would still like
one because of its unique capabilities and sensation of "flying". I haven't
heard the price yet, and the website doesn't tell you. If anyone knows, tell
me.

> -----Original Message-----
> About "IT", "Ginger", "Segway", etc..
> 
> (see www.segway.com)
> 
> Okay.. Who else is dissapointed?  Neat gyro features, but too heavy
> (thats probably all battery weight) and overpriced...
> 
> Bill
> 
> -- 
> Bill Bradford
> mrbill at mrbill.net
> Austin, TX