The Segway is a
two-wheeled, self-balancing
personal transporter invented by
Dean Kamen
Dean Lawrence Kamen (born April 5, 1951) is an American engineer, inventor, and businessman. He is known for his invention of the Segway and iBOT, as well as founding the non-profit organization FIRST with Woodie Flowers. Kamen holds over 1, ...
and brought to market in 2001 as the Segway HT, subsequently as the Segway PT, and manufactured by
Segway Inc. ''HT'' is an initialism for "human transporter" and ''PT'' for "personal transporter."
Ninebot, a
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
-based transportation robotics startup rival, acquired
Segway Inc. in April 2015, broadened the company to include other transportation devices, and announced in June 2020 it would no longer make a two-wheeled, self-balancing product.
History
Independent company
The Segway PT, referred to during development and initial marketing as the Segway HT, was developed from the self-balancing
iBOT wheelchair which was initially developed at
University of Plymouth
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
, in conjunction with
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenue ...
and
Sumitomo Precision Products
Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd. is an integrated manufacturer of aerospace equipment, heat exchangers, hydraulic controls, wireless sensor networks, sensors, micro-electronics technology, and environmental systems. The aerospace division su ...
.
Segway's first patent was filed in 1994 and granted in 1997, followed by others, including one submitted in June 1999 and granted in October 2001.
Prior to its introduction, a news report about a proposal for a book about the invention, development, and financing of the Segway led to speculation about the device and its importance.
John Doerr
L. John Doerr (born June 29, 1951) is an American investor and venture capitalist at Kleiner Perkins in Menlo Park, California. In February 2009, Doerr was appointed a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board to provide the P ...
speculated that it would be more important than the Internet.
''
South Park
''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
'' devoted an
episode
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption.
The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' (), meaning th ...
to making fun of the hype before the product was released.
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; ...
was quoted as saying that it was "as big a deal as the PC",
(he later expressed a negative opinion, saying that it "sucked", presumably referring to "the design" - but also referred to the (presumably high) price point, asking, "You're ''sure'' your market is upscale consumers for transportation?") The device was unveiled on 3 December 2001, following months of public speculation,
in
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is a public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Privately managed, it is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas ( Sixth Avenue) and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. Th ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, on the
ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast '' ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include morning news-talk show '' Good Morning America'', '' ...
morning program ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. ...
'',
with the first units delivered to customers in early 2002.
The original Segway models featured three speed settings: , with faster turning, and .
Steering of early versions was controlled using a
twist grip
A twistgrip is a handle that can be twisted to operate a control. It is commonly found as a motorcycle's right handlebar grip to control the throttle, but is sometimes found elsewhere, such as on a bicycle as a gearshift, and in helicopters.
...
that varied the speeds of the two motors. The range of the p-Series was on a fully charged nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery with a recharge time of 4–6 hours. In September 2003, the Segway PT was recalled, because if users ignored repeated low battery warnings on the PTs, it could ultimately lead them to fall. With a software patch to version 12.0, the PT would automatically slow down and stop in response to detecting low battery power.
In August 2006, Segway discontinued all previous models and introduced the i2 and x2 products, which were steered by leaning the handlebars to the right or left, had a maximum speed of from a pair of
Brushless DC electric motor
A brushless DC electric motor (BLDC motor or BL motor), also known as an electronically commutated motor (ECM or EC motor) or synchronous DC motor, is a synchronous motor using a direct current (DC) electric power supply. It uses an electron ...
s with
regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed. In this mechanism, the electric traction mo ...
and a range of up to , depending on terrain, riding style and state of the batteries.
Recharging took 8–10 hours. The i2 and x2 also introduced the wireless InfoKey which could show mileage and a trip odometer, and put the Segway into Security mode, which locked the wheels and set off an alarm if it was moved, and could also be used to turn on the PT from up to away.
The company was acquired by British businessman
Jimi Heselden from its U.S. inventor
Dean Kamen
Dean Lawrence Kamen (born April 5, 1951) is an American engineer, inventor, and businessman. He is known for his invention of the Segway and iBOT, as well as founding the non-profit organization FIRST with Woodie Flowers. Kamen holds over 1, ...
in December 2009. A year later, in an ironic and unfortunate accident, Heselden died after he "plunged into the
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe ( ) is a river in Yorkshire, England originating within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For much of its middle course it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Its valley is known as Wharfedale ...
while riding a rugged country version" of Segway.
![Segway police Sweden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Segway_police_Sweden.jpg)
Versions of the product prior to 2011 included (in order of release):
* Segway i167 (2001 revealed, 2002 shipped)
* Segway e167: As i167, with addition of electric kickstand
* Segway p133: Smaller platform and wheels and less powerful motors than the i and e Series with top speed of in the p-Series
* Segway i180: With lithium-ion batteries
* Segway XT: The first Segway designed specifically for recreation
* Segway i2 (2006): The first on-road Segway PT with LeanSteer
* Segway x2 (2006): The first off-road Segway PT with LeanSteer
In March 2014, Segway announced third generation designs, including the i2 SE and x2 SE sport, new LeanSteer frame and powerbase designs, with integrated lighting.
Subsidiary of Ninebot
Ninebot Inc., a Beijing-based transportation robotics startup and a Segway rival, acquired Segway in April 2015, having raised $80M from
Xiaomi
Corporation (; ), commonly known as Xiaomi and registered as Xiaomi Inc., is a Chinese designer and manufacturer of consumer electronics and related software, home appliances, and household items. Behind Samsung, it is the second largest ...
and
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is an American venture capital firm. The firm is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, and specializes in seed stage, early stage, and growth stage investments in private companies across technology sectors. , Sequoia's total ...
. The acquisition came months after the
U.S. International Trade Commission
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC or I.T.C.) is an agency of the United States federal government that advises the legislative and executive branches on matters of trade. It is an independent, bipartisan entity that anal ...
agreed to investigate Segway's claim that Ninebot and other companies were infringing on its patents and copyrights.
Segway requested the blocking of imports of competing scooters into the United States.
In June 2016, the company launched the Segway miniPRO, a smaller
self-balancing scooter
A self-balancing scooter (also hoverboard, self-balancing board, segway or electric scooter board) is a self-balancing personal transporter consisting of two motorized wheels connected to a pair of articulated pads on which the rider places thei ...
.
End of production
In June 2020, Ninebot, the owner of the Segway brand, announced that it would no longer make the namesake two-wheeled, self-balancing product.
Only 140,000 units were sold during the lifetime of the product, and in the later years the Segway PT only made up 1.5% of total company profit.
Factors contributing to the end of production include the price (US$5,000 at launch), and the learning curve in learning to balance on a Segway which has led to notable accidents involving
Usain Bolt
Usain St. Leo Bolt, , (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay.
An eight-ti ...
,
George W. Bush and the Segway Company owner
Jimi Heselden.
While the Segway has remained popular for security and tourism,
electric scooters have been more popular for personal mobility.
Products
At the end of production in 2020, Segway was selling these five self-balancing scooters:
;Professional
* Segway i2 SE (professional
self-balancing scooter
A self-balancing scooter (also hoverboard, self-balancing board, segway or electric scooter board) is a self-balancing personal transporter consisting of two motorized wheels connected to a pair of articulated pads on which the rider places thei ...
for use in warehouses and other locations)
* Segway x2 SE (ruggedised self-balancing scooter for use on most challenging terrain)
* Segway Robot (autonomous robot based on the Segway miniPro)
;Consumer
* Ninebot by Segway E+ (self-balancing scooter for general use)
* Ninebot by Segway miniPro (smaller self-balancing scooter for general use, controlled by a 'knee control bar')
Technology
The dynamics of the Segway PT are similar to a classic control problem, the
inverted pendulum. It uses
brushless DC electric motor
A brushless DC electric motor (BLDC motor or BL motor), also known as an electronically commutated motor (ECM or EC motor) or synchronous DC motor, is a synchronous motor using a direct current (DC) electric power supply. It uses an electron ...
s in each wheel powered by
lithium-ion batteries
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also se ...
with balance achieved using
tilt sensor
An inclinometer or clinometer is an instrument used for measuring angles of slope, elevation, or depression of an object with respect to gravity's direction. It is also known as a ''tilt indicator'', ''tilt sensor'', ''tilt meter'', ''slope ...
s, and
gyroscopic sensor
A vibrating structure gyroscope, defined by the IEEE as a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG), is a gyroscope that uses a vibrating structure to determine the rate of rotation. A vibrating structure gyroscope functions much like the halteres of fl ...
s developed by
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenue ...
'
Advanced Technology Centre. The wheels are driven forward or backward as needed to return its pitch to upright.
Usage
![FlorenceSegwayTour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/FlorenceSegwayTour.jpg)
In 2011, the Segway i2 was being marketed to the emergency medical services community.
In 2018, the police of Stockholm adopted Segways as a permanent transportation method for the patrollers of the old town.
The Segway miniPro is also available to be used as the mobility section of a robot.
Disability Rights Advocates for Technology worked to supply Segway PTs to veterans who had trouble walking. (Segway Inc. cannot market its devices in the US as medical devices. Kamen sold the intellectual property rights for medical purposes to Johnson & Johnson, makers of the
iBOT, a self-balancing wheelchair).
The maximum speed of the Segway PT is . The product is capable of covering on a fully charged
lithium-ion battery
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also se ...
, depending on terrain, riding style, and the condition of the batteries. The
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing “unreasonable risks” of inj ...
does not have Segway-specific recommendations but does say that bicycle helmets are adequate for "low-speed, motor-assisted" scooters.
See also
*
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter (motor scooter) is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet, emphasizing comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles ...
*
Segway polo
*
Jonathan Gleich
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Segway Pt
Personal transporters
Vehicles introduced in 2001
American inventions
2000s fads and trends
Battery electric vehicles
Electric two-wheel vehicles
Mobility devices
Articles containing video clips