Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Animal on December 03, 2001, 05:20:00 AM
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Time Article (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660,00.html)
Well at last we know what it is, and if you ask me, seems pretty cool.
Cant wait to ride one.
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And it can carry the average rider for a full day, nonstop, on only five cents' worth of electricity.
... it also feeds the populace with a few fishes and performs other minor miracles... :D :D :D
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Ah.. this happend some time ago Animal. Damn. Though, I wouldn't expect you to recieve word of it in that third world country of yours for a year. Guess the timing was about right.
AKDejaVu
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This thing is cool, until the first person get's side swiped by an 18 wheeler or big pick up truck. Great for college or shopping I bet :) make a 1 ton version and I'm an owner ;)
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think they left off two other letters - "sh"
rich boy play toy...
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No, no, the real "it" was on Southpark a couple of weeks ago, and the inventor is Mr. Garrison, not that dweeb. :p
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Another useless invention.
It is wonderful for people with disabilities, probably also for those too fat to move without mechanical help (though id probably laugh my bellybutton off if I saw one of those riding that poor lil' thing).
But for the average person? Cmon, those sneakers with built-in roller skate wheels are far better.
What would happen IF (and I believe it wont) this thing does become common use? People would not even WALK anymore. The next "IT" in the series will come with catheter and anal prod for balancing and permanent usage :rolleyes:
But the tech used in it could be used somewhere else. If he could make something that saves so much power and has such an advanced balancing system, i'd say powered legs arent that far away. Other nerds at MIT have been struggling with an exoskeletal powered legs that would be worn over the legs of those paralyzed below the waist, and those things would allow the person to walk normally...problems they've had were BALANCING and POWER.
Take that toejamty scooter apart and use it for something better I say.
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20011203/mdf94885.jpg)
"Capping months of speculation about his mysterious innovation, an accomplished inventor unveiled the device Monday - a one-person, battery-powered scooter that he claims will revolutionize transportation. Inventor Dean Kamen and his backers have big hopes for the agile Segway Human Transporter, saying the scooter will displace awkward, polluting cars, leading to a realigned cityscape that is more people-friendly"
Revolutionize transportation? Oh yes, im sure ill get one to get to work at a whopping 12 mph. Displace cars? Yeah right. Realigned city-scape? Laughable.
This picture definetely deserves a round of "CAPTION THIS". See the new thread.
[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: 38 ]
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I guess the inventor thinks America only lives in huge cities with sprawling downtowns and short WALKS to work. 30 minute walk to work? I've got a 30 minute drive in my car to work, I'm sure some of you have longer commutes. IT has no useful application in my life, heck nearest fast food place is like 3 miles away. that's still what, 10-15 minutes on IT? No thanks, not worth $3000 to me
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Check out the video here:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011203/ts/secret_invention.html (http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011203/ts/secret_invention.html)
Sure, $3000 is a bit much and most people won't shell out the cash for such a "toy" but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the price drop dramatically in the next five years.
This is a truly remarkable invention, IMNSHO.
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I have to ask..what's remarkable about it?
For the avg healthy person that is.
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"The Postal Service and the City of Atlanta will be among the first purchasers, buying 80-pound heavy-duty models for $8,000 apiece, Chapman said"
Uh oh.
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Originally posted by 38:
[QB]Another useless invention.... I have to ask..what's remarkable about it?[QB]
The inventor apparently holds several honorary doctorates and many extemely usefull inventions under his belt - most of them in medical equipment.
He and a few other most smart and successfull people in US think it is a remarkable device.
What do you have in way of credentials or expertise on transportation and city-planning?
I would buy it if it works as advertised.
Nifty: I guess the inventor thinks America only lives in huge cities with sprawling downtowns and short WALKS to work.
I guess you did not bother to read the news article. Otherwise you would not have to guess what the inventor thinks.
miko
[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: miko2d ]
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Originally posted by 38:
I have to ask..what's remarkable about it?
For the avg healthy person that is.
Watch the video. Check out the balance and maneuverability.
Here's some more info: http://www.segway.com (http://www.segway.com)
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Originally posted by 38:
"The Postal Service and the City of Atlanta will be among the first purchasers, buying 80-pound heavy-duty models for $8,000 apiece, Chapman said"
Uh oh.
what, one letter at a time? Maybe "IT" comes with an "IT" red wagon attachment.
it's a toy, a neat toy but still a toy - I thought "IT" was gonna be a cure for cancer or something to better civilization. Not a glorified stand up "Hover Round" for fat tulips now to lazy or out of shape to put one foot in front of the other...
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I want my rocket backpack; anti-grav; and a star trek style transporter.
Send the nerds back into the shop. :D
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"The inventor apparently holds several honorary doctorates and many extemely usefull inventions under his belt - most of them in medical equipment.
He and a few other most smart and successfull people in US think it is a remarkable device.
What do you have in way of credentials or expertise on transportation and city-planning?
I would buy it if it works as advertised."
Most successful people? $$$ ? You bet they gonna get more $$$ if it hits the market. Just like that moronic scooter fad a few months ago.
"What do you have in way of credentials or expertise on transportation and city-planning"
Lemme see.. I live in one, I walk and drive in one... and I really dont see how having people on top of motorized scooters is going to help at all. We'll have IT jams on the sidewalks, in front of every McDonalds...people wont get off the damn thing to help in circulation.
Sidewalk full of people in scooters, Main Street, anytown USA: *bonk* "Hey moron git outta the way!" *bonk* "Hey move along!" *SQUISH* "You ran over my dog you bastard!" *bonk* "my left wheel is jammed, im too lazy to get off!" *bonk* *bonk* *bonk*
And you just wait 'till they add horns to the handlebars and start stabbing people to death (texas), start dragging around promotional posters on their sides, or have someone's grocery bag turn over and fall on the street causing a huge scooter jam, or add some 18-wheeler horn (beeep!!) and make the entire town a sonic warzone.
The thing may actually help some people, especially the elderly and the disabled. But the avg person.. it will only get them fat & lazy & turn the town into another congested highway. BTW, a human being can walk 10km an hour on avg. This thing is 12 mph. Which one do you think can get to point A to point B (short distance as the article states "IT" is for short distances) faster in a congested enviroment?
As I said above, his balancing system and power system ARE incredible. The application of both was...pathetic.
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Originally posted by Eagler:
[QB]I thought "IT" was gonna be a cure for cancer or something to better civilization.[QB]
Unless you mean "the cure for cancer that grows on a bush" any cure for cancer along the lines of other treatments will be a disaster for civilisation.
People would be forced to choose between expending 95% of GNP for life-support of elderly or refusing the treatment to most of the people. Much easier when it is not really available.
38: ...a human being can walk 10km an hour on avg
5 km an hour - 3.1 mph. If that thing givey you 12 mph with a heafty bag, that is 3-4 times the speed.
Because of the inept socialistic intervention of the government (I just saw episodes 6 and 7 of New York on PBS), US has much more suburban sprawl then it is natural (according to the economicl laws).
But most of the european countries actually have large areas open only for pedestrian traffic.
In Brooklyn your average speed with the car including looking for parking is way below 12mph.
If that thingie really got ubiqutous, they could close most of the Manhattan streets to car traffic and use the whole street for pedestrians, there won't be that many jams.
A car definitely does not give you 12 mph on your average Manhattan street.
Most successful people? $$$ ? You bet they gonna get more $$$ if it hits the market.
Oh, yeah - Andy Grove needs cash so badly that he would underwrite some BS just to make a few bucks.
miko
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OK I just saw a report on CNN headline news about the skooter and I've changed my mind about the thing. I kind of want one now too. The guy who invinted it was demo'ing it and the damn thing actualy works by your thought somehow. You want to go right and it goes right etc... They showed a bunch of poeople on them and the looked really cool. I don't think this will replace the car for a while though :)
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i can see starbucks putting in a drive thru lane for them, hehe
i already have my "personal urban assault vehicle" it's a trek 1200 bicycle and it didn't cost $3000 and it will run a hour on one can of beer , two hours if it's cool out.
my towns postman use bicycles for urban delivery, special models with a small front wheel and a big basket.
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Hehe, we'll see.
No, it ain't gonna replace the bicycle or the car. I can see its merit, though.
First, the top speed (subject to regulation) is 18 mph. For point-to-point travel in an urban environment, that beats both cars and bicycles. It's also more maneuverable than either (and those tires look like they were designed to be big enough to hop curves. If not, we have a big problem). Add easy mount/dismount and 75 pounds of cargo, and the thing is a delivery monster. Hang's right -- you're gonna see delivery kids doing really dangerous things on those beasts.
For your suburbanite, it might not replace the car, but if it can get Joan Q. Suburbanite to the grocery store in a time comparable to a car and cost far less in energy, it might work.
But it ain't gonna replace your feet
Yeah, there are some big questions:
Reliability? 10 computers, a mess of gyros and some pretty cool motors -- how is that gonna stand up against the beating of an urban environment in all weather?
Security? The machine's designed for portability, but you can't track your muddy wheels into the restaurant. now we've got a highly portable 3000-dollar machine on a city street. hmmm...
Cost? 5 cents a day? for how much travel? under what conditions? Factor in maintenance and unit life, and it may not be that attractive.
Oh yeah, Hang, don't forget the model with the Gun Rack, available in both RedNeck and GangBanger configurations.
[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: Dinger ]
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Guess this guy hasnt been to Houston in August, didnt see an air conditioner on it. Guess it will be popular in Juneau in January to.
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"And you just wait 'till they add horns to the handlebars and start stabbing people to death (texas), start dragging around promotional posters on their sides, or have someone's grocery bag turn over and fall on the street causing a huge scooter jam, or add some 18-wheeler horn (beeep!!) and make the entire town a sonic warzone."
LOL.. :)
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5km/h? must be the lazy gringos. The rest of the world goes at 10km/h ;)
Aaaah.. thats why the scooter is so great then. Hehee ;) :D
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A painfully slow motorcycle with the wheels on the sides, instead of front and back. No thanks.
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Where do yah park it? how do yah secure it?
(at 60-80 lbs, that thing will get tossed into the back of a pick-up or van in a half second flat) What happens when it rains?
and... how are the insurance actuaries gonna figure risk?
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Originally posted by Hangtime:
Where do yah park it? how do yah secure it?
(at 60-80 lbs, that thing will get tossed into the back of a pick-up or van in a half second flat) What happens when it rains?
and... how are the insurance actuaries gonna figure risk?
Visit http://www.seqway.com (http://www.seqway.com)
Each vehicle is equipped with an "intelligent key," an electronic key with 128-bit encryption. Says the vehicle won't run without it's own key. Now... if some chop shop tore it down for parts, I wonder where the high cost component is... the batteries? the transmission? the gyros? computer? the motors?
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10 KMH? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that about 6.2 MPH? That seems pretty fast for me, even if you did have the burrito special at Umberto's... Now I need to validate these numbers lol.
-SB-
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What is so good about that thing when an ordinary motorbike can go up to 25 MPH and costs much less? A motorbike has another advantage over "IT" since it gives you a place to actually sit down.
"IT" looks like an interesting little plaything for people with too much money, but it's far too impractical to ever see widespread usage (plus I have to wonder how it'd react if you drove it into a deep puddle, with all those sensitive electronic devices on board). Claims to the contrary are just so much bunk.
J_A_B
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Miko, think you can be more of an bellybutton next time? thanks. :D
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I can't wait to see these silly things on the road. Time for a new front grill....
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When it comes down to mass production, you'll never know how low it could be priced. I concede that $3000 is a big lot of money. But give it some time, see how it drops, wipe a zero of that price, and now make comparisons. The biggest part of the price is due to I&D expenses. If this toy/tool has a market niche, I think it will come down to a price suitable to that niche.
Of course, provided it works as advised. :)
Oh, and the average Spaniard walking speed is nowhere near 10km./h. I would leave it between 5 and 6. OK, if it's a bar near, 7 on the way-in, 0 on the opposite. ;).
Cheers,
Pepe.