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DeKa Slingshot 1

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Gumpmaster

Gumpmaster

Structural
Jan 19, 2006
397
I've always been a fan of Dean Kamen and his inventions.

What do you think of his new project, the "Slingshot". It's a combination Stirling cycle electrical generator/ water purification device. It's small enough to be portable pretty much anywhere on the planet. It reportedly burns anything (including cow dung).


It looks like it may be a quite useful device for developing countries (although watch someone bash all of the new greenhouse gas emissions from burning cow dung)

On a side note, where did the Segway go wrong? Why isn't it more popular?
 
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Are they not already using that dung as fuel in the places that might use this? Given that deforestation, partly from people using all the available wood as fuel, is a major problem in many of the areas that also have a lack of water I'm not sure it's a golden bullet.

Burning cow dung should be approximately carbon neutral over all, it's basically bio mass with a cow in the middle of the cycle. (The cow itself will be a methane contributer though.)

Might solar stills/cookers be a better idea to look at?

On a side note, where did the Segway go wrong? Why isn't it more popular?
Click to expand...

Um, because as far as I could tell it was pretty pointless, it didn't have a "killer app" as they say.



KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
 
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Segway got some bad press over facial injuries resulting from collisions with terrain, reported as due to running into curbstones or gyro failures.

There was also a pretty steep price that didn't come down.

I have seen exactly one in the wild, carrying a mall security person on his rounds. It seemed like a natural application... but it was a very upscale mall.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
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Gumpmaster,

What problem does the Segway solve?

If you are physically fit enough to stand on a Segway, you are physically fit enough to walk. The whole point of a scooter or wheelchair is that you can stay seated as you move around. How much do one of those Cushman carts cost, compared to a Segway?

I sympathise with jurisdictions that banned Segways from their sidewalks. If they had caught on, they would have gotten faster, and the stupidest operators would have become a menace to pedestrians. Bicycles belong on the road too.

JHG
 
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The Segway has found its niche for tourists at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. There are flocks of rental units cruising the streets. Its kind of like donkey rides on the beach.

HAZOP at
 
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They apparently also rent them at the Old Town tourist traps in my town and in Santa Fe. Believe it or not, a family of 4 tourists rode theirs into the 400+ yr old church bookstore, which was fairly packed with tourists and had historical ceramics and pottery on display. As I believe Will Rogers said, common sense is anything but. What do you do with a Segway if you ride to a store, and want to go inside?
 
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Make sure your insurance is paid up?

Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare. - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]
 
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The problem that the Segway solves is urban transportation.

Yes, you could walk or ride a bike instead of ride a Segway (this is what I do), yet that's not what the vast majority of urban dwellers do. Most cities I've been in are filled to capacity with single occupancy cars driving at 10mph, 20 blocks across town (ask yourself how often do you do this?)

The Segway offered the possibility of reducing the amount of wasteful urban transportation. It takes up a significantly smaller footprint, it doesn't emit pollution, and it's quiet.
 
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Gumpster, did you swallow the sales brochure or something?

A car protects you from the environment. Segway doesn't.

A car will go significantly faster than you can by foot or bicycle. Segway doesn't as I recall, can't remember the actual top speed.

A car allows you to carry shopping/luggage/other people... Segway doesn't so much.

It's foot print isn't significantly less than a small scooter/moped or similar.

The Segway is cool, it's interesting but frankly I don't think it's much of a solution to Urban congestion/transportation needs. It's a gimmick, and hence it's main market has been as such.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
 
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I agree Kenat, but you included one too many it's!
 
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I've never seen a Segway in the flesh. But I do know that the geeky character (Neil Goldman) in Family Guy rides one. Nuff said.

- Steve
 
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Several employees at the facility I work at actually have segway's (provided by the company) for getting around the production floor in a timely manner.
 
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Oops, still you get my point.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
 
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We used to be allowed to ride bikes at one old employer. Till the fat old chem lab superintendent crashed and had to go have a bone set...
 
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Hmm, I see a Suggestion Scheme entry here. "A pool of Segways for site tours". I might scoop £25 for it.

- Steve
 
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The police in Schiphol airport use Segways too. Seemed like a good idea - get around at a decent speed, and an extra foot or so of height to see what's going on.
 
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I've never been able to focus properly at that airport, so I must have missed them.

- Steve
 
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What happens if you're at max speed and lean forward?
 
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I went to the NY Auto Show, and I saw a concept car (maybe Suzuki?), that had a built in casing, under the trunk, for two segways.

POINTLESS.

V
 
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