What do FReepers Think of "It"?

Good Morning America

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Good Morning America had extended segments with the inventor of "It", AKA Ginger, a personal mobility device. The co-hosts also participated in a demonstration of the device.

Curious if other FReepers watched and what their reaction is.

Is this an invention of great practical importance, or will it be assigned to the same wing of the Hall of Gadgets that houses the pogo stick?

[weegee]

"All of the knowledge that went into knowing how to walk is transferred to this machine," Kamen said. "When you stand on this machine, it kind of walks for you. It just does it smoothly and gracefully."

I've heard that Dean Kamen is the son of cartoonist Jack Kamen. Jack drew comic books for EC Comics (publisher of Shock Suspenstories, Tales From The Crypt, and others). EC also published MAD.

Back in the first issue of MAD (1952) there was a story titled "Blobs" set in 1,000,000 A.D. (drawn by Wally Wood). The characters in this story move around in automated carts and one of the characters takes issue with all of the machines in his society. He discusses primitive man, 1952 history, and timelines up to "now". Some key quotes,
"Out in the street, men were beginning to ride and not walk! Automobiles they called 'em!"
"That's the way it was in the crude days of 1952! By 2000 A.D., working man's office was a mass of buttons and switches!"
"And look at us! Through years of disuse, our muscles have shrunk, our bodies have withered! We're just a bundle of nerves! We are blobs, I tell you! Blobs of flesh!"

Kamen may have taken the wrong cue from this story, they also had "disposable prefabricated robot women... ancient 1952 Hollywood style!" (think Marilyn Monroe/Diana Dors/Mamie Van Doren) "He puts a coin into the machine and gets a robot woman! Have you noticed how less and less men are getting married, and more and more of these robot woman are being sold? Our civilization is going to pot! We lie around from day to day seeking pleasure! Doing nothing! Getting more and more helpless with each passing momement!"

While the story was written by Harvey Kurtzman, it had it's origins in E.M. Forster's "The Machine Stops". I found it interesting to associate this work with from EC (a company that made his father famous) with a potential outcome of this device.

Yes there are people who need better mobility. At this time the rider must stand. If you have a leg injury or muscular problems, then it may not be possible to stand long enought to ride this device.

[DManA]

Two words I suggest you look up; propulsion, and innovation. By all means, continue with your donkey-cart Mr. Ludd.

[OWK]

. I would think something like a sterling engine, if perfected, would make sense for a Segway like vehicle

Kamen is a big sterling engine advocate.

I've dealt with Dean in the past on some interesting projects having to do with my own field of industrial pursuit. He has a gigantic sterling engine in his home. Neat stuff.

[OWK]

Two words I suggest you look up; propulsion, and innovation.

I am familiar with both.

Thanks.

[Always Right]

The majority of the people on the planet live in cities. Most of these cities are overcrowded and plagued with miserable traffic jams.

As someone who lives in Japan, I understand your perspective. From someone who lives in small-town USA, "It" is a stupid idea. Most people may live in cities, but most people do not live in overcrowed cities. And with even the large overcrowed cities in the US, there is so much urban sprawl that "It" just doesn't cut it.

[razorback-bert]

, I see lots of people using these at Theme Parks

How will people hold their child's hand to keep them from running away. Two years old and riding one, doubt it.

[Arthalion]

Ah, but think about something for a second. Every percentage point of population that finds this useful is one less percentage point on the road. Even if only 10% of Americans actually use this thing, it will REDUCE roadway congestion by up to 10% That's good for both Segway users and car users. In dense urban areas where the vast majority of people live within 10 miles of their worksite, devices like this could have a HUGE impact on the amount of cars traversing the roads. I'm not even concerned about weather...I'd wager any $$ amount that someone will have a version on the market with somekind of lightweight outer shell within three years. The demand is there, and someone will fill it.

[cake_crumb]

"If you set the goofiness aside and think outside the box, the possibilities are staggering.

"I've said this all year about this thing: 'It's not the scooter, stupid.'"

Right. It's the technology behind the scooter.

[.38sw]

I think $3000 is a good downpayment for a car.

It doesn't look like I can haul a week's worth of groceries in it (which is one reason why i go downtown), or like I would want to use it to go to work, especially when it is windy and rainy. Looks like an expensive toy to me.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"They don't mix well with people "

Exactly. I can see lawsuits coming from pedestrians injured by someone running a Segway up the back of their ankles.
"Ooooh, ouch, ouch! You've ruptured my Achilles' tendon! I'll sue!"

[DManA]

Well, I thought maybe you didn't since you completely misunderstood the sentence I wrote that contained them.

[the bottle let me down]

It doesn't look like I can haul a week's worth of groceries in it (which is one reason why i go downtown), or like I would want to use it to go to work, especially when it is windy and rainy. Looks like an expensive toy to me.

According to the website, there will be a separate cargo carrier with 300 lbs capacity. No word on cost, effect on speed, range, maneuverability, etc.

[cicero's_son]

"This thing would be completely useless in every place I've ever lived."

Evidently, you've never lived in a city.

One doesn't need to be an "enviro-kook" to admire this entrepreneur's (read: capitalist's) ingenuity and hope that his invention might help the revitalization of America's downtowns.

[Republicanus_Tyrannus]

Au contrair. I have lived in cities. Am now living in one. Tucson.

Let me tell you what this would do for me.

Nothing.

See, I live 15 miles from work. That's about average here in Tucson. In Phoenix, I lived 10 miles from work. That was when I had to live in the worst part of Phoenix. Most people live 30-45 miles from work.

In the Bay Area, I lived 40 miles from work.

This is wonderful for those few who live 1 mile or so from work, somewhere there isn't a decent road, and who do not have kids, a house, a need for groceries or heavy items, and, most importantly, someone who doesn't live where it gets snow, wind, rain, heat, cold, hail, or sleet. For them, I'm sure it's perfect. But for most of America, it's nuts to even fantasize that this will replace the car.

[ctdonath2]

"Strange how much human accomplishment and progress comes from contemplation of the irrelevant."
- Scott Kim

Yes, there's obvious issues with IT. IT doesn't fit real well into current society. But IT is still a step forward, a really neat solution in search of a problem. Many of the complaints listed in this thread aren't much different from complaints that heralded the introduction of other technologies pervading our lives.

Don't whine about what it can't do - figure out what it CAN do, and capitalize on it!

[mc5cents]

Every day, I pile in my 4000 pound car, waste gas, pollute the air, and fight my way through traffic in order to reach my office which is two miles away from my home.

Huh? Fight traffic to go two miles??? Where do you live? Mid Manhattan? Take the subway.

Somehow that just does not sound like the truth Mr Art.

[Huck]

I know it sounds far-fetched. But I see it happening. I also see these "scooters" improving to the point where you can use them in all weather and have some space to store cargo, such as purchases. Remember the first automobiles...they were a joke. You had to hand-crank the engines and you were lucky to get more than a few miles out of them before they broke down for one reason or another. They were also exposed to the elements. I think this scooter is a lot further along than those original automobiles and the improvements and modifications will happen at a much quicker pace as they are put into production.

You are a visionary, and you may be right! I wonder if this thing will work in the Rocky Mountains. I'd like to IT my way across the Peak to Peak highway.

[Will_Kansas]

Much ado about nothing, IMHO.

However, I am intrigued by the possibilities that may be opened up by the gyro technology.

[ignatz_q]

Yeah, I'm going to trade my nice warm car in on a $3000 scooter.

I think you're missing the point. Segway is aimed at people in densely populated areas for specific kinds of trips. I don't think Kamen is suggesting that most people would substitute it for a car all the time, only when it makes sense to do so.

For someone like me, it makes a lot of sense. I live in a big city, with bad traffic and difficult parking. I need my car for longer trips, or trips when I need to carry heavy things,. but I often go for a week without using it at all.

I walk a lot of places, and I take the train and bus a lot of places, but there are an awful lot of medium-length trips that I either don't take because it's too much of a pain to drive and park, or I take the car, which ends up being wasteful.

Segway is perfect for me in that it will give me an efficient alternative for these trips. And at least here in Chicago, where I live, and in other big cities, there are a lot of people like me.

More generally, I'm in favor of any technology which may allow us to stop being dependent on foreign oil, and there seems to be a lot of potential here, even if it only finds widespread use in corporate and industrial applications.