For those of us who wondered about Dean Kamen‘s “It” (a.k.a. Ginger), the mystery machine that created two tons of hype earlier this year: “It”‘s what everyone expected, a scooter. A kick-ass scooter, but a scooter nonetheless. “Kamen said the two-wheeled scooterlike vehicle [now called the Segway HT] is ‘like a pair of magic sneakers’ because the passenger moves by thinking forward or backward — as if walking — without falling. ‘It does what a human does — it has gyros and sensors that act like your inner ear; it has a computer that does what your brain does for you. It’s got motors that do what your muscles do for you. It’s got those tires that do what your feet do for you.'”
Congrats to Time, who had the scoop yesterday. “Developed at a cost of more than $100 million, Kamen’s vehicle is a complex bundle of hardware and software that mimics the human body’s ability to maintain its balance. Not only does it have no brakes, it also has no engine, no throttle, no gearshift and no steering wheel. And it can carry the average rider for a full day, nonstop, on only five cents’ worth of electricity.”
Check out the videos on the site; the maneuverability seems extremely impressive. If I had $3,000 lying around collecting dust, I might scoop one up. But um, I don’t.
2 thoughts on “ginger”
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Why do humans keep creating objects that keep us from being active? Don’t they realize that so few of us get enough exercise as it is. The last thing we need is a scooter which gives us a reason not to WALK! (Which for most of us is the only exercise we actually get!)
But I do admit it’s interesting…I’d try it if I could afford one.
Actually, I would think that the Segway is something which could replace the car for short trips. Sure, it would be more healthy if folks would just walk, but not having to use a car seems like a good idea for the environment and keeping people closer to each other.