Segway's RMP platform for nerdy robots
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Feb 20th 2007 9:12AM
posted Feb 20th 2007 9:12AM
What do you do when your overly hyped Human Transporter skids off the plateau of human interest only to be pummeled by archaic transportation laws? Why, start building mobility solutions for robots, of course. We've already seen a few lazy robots riding Segways around the lab; soon enough, we'll be seeing a lot more what with the Segway RMP (Robotic Mobility Platform) now launched in Japan. The RMP is meant to provide a quick and easy transportation underpinning for new domestic and military robots. RMPs range in price from ¥6,037,500 to ¥1,376,550 ($50,000 to about $11,500) and vary by maximum load, speed, size, max angle of climb, and battery capacity. Let the robot crusades begin! Via Robot Watch]
This thing has been out in the US for a long time now. My friend and I used one in our senior project at college a year ago and programmed it to operate autonomously.
Yea, I was Sean Fast's partner for that project. That sucker's ridiculously heavy. I let it (accidently!) topple over and hit the ground. It took a 1-and-a-half inch gouge out of the tile floor. That was before we set the power cord on fire. Oops.
My guess is that this company will segway right into bankruptcy unless they get some hideously overpriced government contract for these. This appears to be a solution to a problem not yet identified.
Finally, An actual use for a segway! This could be a useful implementation for Segways. Cause seriously, who actually uses these as a transport vehicle? I agree that the only way this company makes any money it through some ridiculous military contract!
I was there with Chris and Sean. It was a pretty boring presentation. But that night was awesome.
Remember the homeless crack whore that we partied with afterwards? Now THAT was cool!
All the blinders-on, narrow-minded, lazy thinking surrounding Segways has got to stop. I, like so many others, use a Segway instead of a car to go everywhere I used to go by car. Because it is a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) I get where I'm going without paying through the nose for gas, and I save on parking too because I park in my office. With all the road-rage and gridlock, who wants to drive? For the short to mid-range commute (which represents the majority of commutes in the world) the Segway is ideal. I get there in about the same amount of time, but I'm actually having fun while doing it - oh ya, and I'm enjoying the fresh air - but with all the pollution from cars that's one benefit of Segway ownership I won't be able to enjoy for much longer. PS - beyond the commuter these are used by the mobility disabled as a "dignity enhancing" alternative to wheelchairs (I'll let you think about that). They are also used by police and other municipal services. You want a problem to which these and other ZEVs are the solution? How about all of us dying because there's no breathable air, or no water to drink because we used it all up trying to get oil from oilsands, or because we killed each other fighting over that last drop of the wretched stuff? Snap out of it.
I'm sure your Segway does great in snow and on sidewalks that do not get plowed. Segways are a fantastic piece of engineering, but they have limited utility in the real world without significant changes in both infrastructure and people's habits. The thing carries ONE human. Perhaps Kamen and his group of geniuses should come up with something a bit more marketable for the masses and something that more easily fits into the existing infrastructure (sorry, sidewalks is for walking).
Not sure where you live, but in every city I've ever lived in or visited, the sidewalks are for walking, jogging, cycling, skating, and yes, Segwaying. All of these groups can and do exist in peace, sharing the same path. I disagree that sidewalks are only for the leisurely stroll; I believe that sidewalks are for getting places, however one chooses to.
Turns out that about ummm like 500 million car trips a day are also carrying one human (and last less than 5 miles). Let's all head back to our SUVs now.
I think if a segway were $450 they would be big time, but you can buy a scooter for much less money with the same basic advantages, plus more speed and can carry 2+ people. This niche is filled with a better cheaper technology.