Segway's next thingamajig . . .

[OneBlueSky]

Three years after its Human Transporter was supposed to change the world, Dean Kamen's innovation factory unveils a successor that just wants to have fun.



http://www.popsci.com/popsci/generaltech/article/0,20967,710982,00.html

[NJCher]

1. I guess Kamen is money hungry

So he is appealing to the destructive element in our society. Fun? Go to Google images and enter "ATV damage" and you will turn up hundreds of pictures from all over the world of the kind of damage these machines do to the soil.

And God forbid anyone lets bush loose on this thing.


Cher

[Old and In the Way]

3. I respectfully disagree.

First of all, this is nowhere near the ATV class of vehicles. It only weighs 140 lbs. It runs on batteries (read solar). And this technology is cutting edge.

Dean is doing some good things for the world. Portable lowcost desalination plants for places like Bangladesh. Also, this technology was based on the development of wheelchairs that could climb stairs.....he's also developed insulin pumps and other medical technology that's made a huge quality of life change for people.

[Bucky]

6. If Segway can build it, Bush can fall off of it. That's the rule

[Runcible Spoon]

8. fuckin' A!

methinks he will have to undergo weeks of training on this one before we get a photo op our of him :evilgrin:

[Old and In the Way]

2. He's ahead of his time.

The stuff he's doing now will be important teachnology in the future....he also designed a water distillation system for poor countries that uses sea water to produce potable water. He is a Renaissance Man....

[grasswire]

4. the Segway....

....allows a man I know who is a post-polio sufferer to enjoy walks in parks and to get around without a wheelchair. A few years of semi-mobility is priceless to him, I know.

[msgadget]

10. I was just going to ask about that

invention. How did your friend come by it? I've never seen a wheelchair vendor suggest them.

[grasswire]

11. he ordered it from the manufacturer

Yeah, they are real expensive. Couple thousand bucks, I think. But he could afford it, and it has served him well.

[msgadget]

12. That's fantastic.

I'm so psyched for your friend! I saw a news magazine that featured it and have been waiting to see one ever since.

[grasswire]

13. every place he goes with it...

...people stop him to talk about it. It's quite an attention-getter.

[DrWeird]

5. Will this one change cities forever too?

And least this one's not being more overhyped than The Blair Witch Project.

[tridim]

7. What's wrong with Mountain Bikes?

:shrug:

[NJCher]

9. what's wrong with mountain bikes?

Did you do what I mentioned in my post?

Go to Google images and enter "ATV damage" and you will turn up hundreds of pictures from all over the world of the kind of damage these machines do to the soil.


One hundred forty pounds plus the overweight American it's probably going to be carrying is enough to do plenty of damage to the soil. Would you like 350 pounds smashing into your cells? What do you think that does to the compaction of the earth? How does vegetation grow after repeated assaults on such soil?

I am a gardener and I will tell you: it doesn't. Roots need oxygen and compaction prevents it. Once the soil is compacted, little will grow there and then erosion takes place.

There are plenty of ways to have fun: this shouldn't be one of them.

Also, good work done in the past does not excuse this destructive product.


Cher

[Stirk]

14. Oh holy shit- they better not let Bush get on THAT one.