Segway: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 12:13, 30 June 2025

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{{short description|Two-wheeled, self-balancing personal vehicle}}

[[Image:SegwayHT.jpg|frame|right|Inventor [[Dean Kamen]] demonstrates the Segway HT at the [[United States Department of Commerce|U.S. Department of Commerce]] on [[February 14]] [[2002]].]]

{{about|the vehicle|the company|Segway Inc.|the word referring to a transition|Segue}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2021}}

{{Infobox product

|title = Segway PT

|image = Black x2 and white i2.jpg

|image_size=300

|caption = Segway x2 and i2

|type = [[Personal transporter]]

|inventor = [[Dean Kamen]]

|inception = {{start_date|2001}}

|manufacturer = [[Segway Inc.]]

|models = i2 SE, x SE, miniPro, robot

}}

TheA '''Segway HT''' is a [[Dicycle (vehicle)|two-wheeled]], self-balancing, computer-controlled,[[personal electrically-powered gyroscopic light-mode transportationtransporter]] device invented by [[Dean Kamen]]. andThe unveiledname inis a registered trademark Decemberof [[2001Segway Inc.|Segway Inc]]. It iswas producedbrought byto themarket companyin 2001 as the '''Segway Inc.HT''', whichand isthen basedsubsequently inas [[Bedford,the New'''Segway Hampshire]]PT.''' The''HT'' nameis an initialism for "Segwayhuman HTtransporter" standsand ''PT'' for "Segwaypersonal Human Transporter"transporter."

Ninebot, a [[Beijing]]-based transportation [[robotics]] startup rival, acquired Segway Inc. in April 2015, broadening the company to include other transportation devices. In June 2020, it was announced that it would no longer make the Segway PT.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Wilson|first=Mark|date=2020-06-23|title=Segway, the most hyped invention since the Macintosh, ends production|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90517971/exclusive-segway-the-most-hyped-invention-since-the-macintosh-to-end-production|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Fast Company|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2020-06-23|title=Segways scrapped after two decades of high-profile falls|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-24/segway-ends-production-of-vehicle-falls/12386530|access-date=2020-06-24|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref>

The Segway is the world's first self-balancing transportation device. Computers and motors in the base keep the Segway upright at all times. Users lean forward to move forward, and back to move backwards. Turning is done mechanically via hand control. Segways are driven by quiet, non-polluting electric motors at up to 12.5 mph (10 mph in the P-series). In laws that regulate or ban it, the applicable category is sometimes called "electric personal assistive mobility device" (EPAMD).

== History ==

===Independent company===

Prior to its demonstration on [[December 3]], [[2001]], various reports and rumours of a revolutionary invention could be found in the media, but no details were available. Initial reception was enthusiastic: [[Apple Computer|Apple]] CEO [[Steve Jobs]] suggested that cities will be built around this new method of transportation, and [[venture capital]]ist [[John Doerr]] predicted sales would reach [[United States dollar|$]]1 billion sooner after Segway's launch than any other product's sales had. To cope with the expected demand, the factory in [[Bedford, New Hampshire]] was originally designed to build up to 40,000 units per month.

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]], in conjunction with [[BAE Systems]] and [[Sumitomo Precision Products]].<ref name=Ginger>{{cite book|last1=Kemper|first1=Steve|title=Code name Ginger : the story behind segway and Dean Kamen's quest to invent a new world|date=2003|publisher=Harvard Business School Press|___location=Boston, Mass.|isbn=978-1578516735|page=27|access-date=23 June 2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1BG7YLR8aWcC&q=fred+upstairs}}</ref> The first patent of human transporter was filed in 1994 and granted in 1997,<ref>{{US Patent|5701965|US patent 5,701,965 Human transporter}}</ref> followed by others,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.segway.com/patents.pdf|title=Segway Patent Information|publisher=Segway Inc.|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721124219/http://www.segway.com/patents.pdf|archive-date=21 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> including one submitted in June 1999 and granted in October 2001.<ref>{{US Patent|6302230|US Patent 6,302,230 Personal mobility vehicles and methods}}</ref>

Prior to its introduction, a news report<ref>[http://www.inside.com/jcs/Story?article_id=20218 What Is 'IT'? Book Proposal Heightens Intrigue About Secret Invention Touted as Bigger Than the Internet or PC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010617162321/http://www.inside.com/jcs/Story?article_id=20218|date=17 June 2001}} Inside.com, January 2001</ref> about a proposal for a book about the invention, development, and financing of the Segway PT <ref>{{cite book|title=Reinventing the Wheel: A Story of Genius, Innovation, and Grand Ambition|isbn=1578516730|year=2003|first=Steve | last=Kemper|publisher=Harvard Business School Press }}</ref> led to speculation about the device and its importance. [[John Doerr]] speculated that it would be more important than the Internet.<ref name="time2001"/> ''[[South Park]]'' devoted [[The Entity (South Park)|an episode]] to making fun of the hype before the product was released. [[Steve Jobs]] was quoted as saying that it was "as big a deal as the PC",<ref name="time2001">{{cite magazine|date=2 December 2001|title=Reinventing the Wheel|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660,00.html|access-date=11 March 2009}}</ref> (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?")<ref>{{cite web | url=http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3533.html | title=Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger" | first=Steve | last=Kemper | publisher=Harvard Business School Working Knowledge | date=16 June 2003}}</ref> The device was unveiled on 3 December 2001, following months of public speculation,<ref name="speculation">{{cite episode |url=http://www.cc.com/events/month-of-zen/live.html |title=January 26, 2000 |series=[[The Daily Show]] |date=26 July 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702125349/http://www.cc.com/events/month-of-zen/live.html |archive-date=2 July 2015}}</ref> in [[Bryant Park]], [[New York City]], on the [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] morning program ''[[Good Morning America]]'',<ref name=Machrone>{{cite news |last=Machrone |first=Bill |url=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,97229,00.asp |title=Ginger Unveiled-It's a Scooter! |newspaper=Extremetech |publisher=Extremetech.com |date=3 December 2001 |access-date=11 March 2009 |archive-date=24 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424051557/http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,97229,00.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/12/1203segway-unveiled |title=Wired.com retrospective |access-date=2009-04-12 | first=Dylan |last=Tweney}}</ref> with the first units delivered to customers in early 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.segway.com/about-segway/segway-milestones.php |title=About Segway – Who We Are |publisher=Segway Milestones|access-date=2009-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318154531/http://www.segway.com/about-segway/segway-milestones.php |archive-date=18 March 2009}}</ref>

Shortly after the demonstration three Segway HTs were sold on auctions at [[Amazon.com]] for more than 100,000 dollars each. After several months Amazon and then the official site started regular sales.

The original Segway PT models featured three speed settings: {{convert|6|mph}}, {{convert|8|mph}} with faster turning, and {{convert|10|mph}}.<ref name="Segway, Official Site"/> Steering of early versions was controlled using a [[twist grip]] that varied the speeds of the two motors. The range of the p-Series was {{convert|6|-|10|mi}} on a fully charged nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery with a recharge time of four to six 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03553.html |title=Segway LLC Recall to Upgrade Software on Segway Human Transporters |publisher=Cpsc.gov |date=26 September 2003 |access-date=2009-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922233555/https://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03553.html |archive-date=22 September 2008}}</ref>

The company had expected to sell between 50,000 and 100,000 units in the first year, but after 21 months only 6,000 units had been sold. The figure was revealed during the voluntary recall of all Segway HTs in [[September 2003]]; the condition that led to the recall was described in the press release as "Hazard: Under certain operating conditions, particularly when the batteries are near the end of charge, some Segway HTs may not deliver enough power, allowing the rider to fall. This can happen if the rider speeds up abruptly, encounters an obstacle, or continues to ride after receiving a low-battery alert."

In August 2006, Segway Inc. discontinued all previous models and introduced the i2 and x2 products, which were steered by leaning the handlebars to the right or left,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.segway.com/personal-transporter/model_i2.html |title=Segway i2 |publisher=Segway.com |access-date=2009-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107194400/http://segway.com/personal-transporter/model_i2.html |archive-date=7 January 2009}}</ref> had a maximum speed of {{convert|12.5|mph|abbr=on}} from a pair of {{convert|2|hp|spell=in|adj=on}} [[Brushless DC electric motor]]s with [[regenerative braking]] and a range of up to {{convert|15|-|25|mi|abbr=on}}, depending on terrain, riding style, and state of the batteries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.segway.com/segway/lithium_ion.html |title=Enhanced range, courtesy of lithium-ion|access-date=29 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017090302/http://www.segway.com/segway/lithium_ion.html |archive-date=17 October 2006 }}</ref> Recharging took eight to ten hours. The i2 and x2 also introduced the wireless InfoKey which could show mileage and a trip odometer, and put the vehicle 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 {{convert|15|ft}} away.<ref name="Segway, Official Site">{{cite web |url=http://www.segway.com/business/products-solutions/i2.php |title=Segway, Official Site |publisher=Segway.com |date=28 April 2011 |access-date=6 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027235058/http://www.segway.com/business/products-solutions/i2.php |archive-date=27 October 2011}}</ref>

Although the company has faced many disappointments, as of [[2005]], Segway Inc. is working to increase its sales to help recoup the investments in [[research and development|R&D]] and production. Although some publications are skeptical, it is possible that the Segway will still be a commercial success once the investment is written off (as happened with [[Iridium (satellite)|Iridium]]). Segway currently has over 100 dealers and distributors internationally.

Segway Inc. was acquired by British businessman [[Jimi Heselden]] from its U.S. inventor [[Dean Kamen]] in December 2009. A year later, Heselden died after he "plunged into the [[River Wharfe]] while riding a rugged country version" of Segway PT.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna39377851 |title=Segway company owner rides scooter off cliff, dies |quote=A British businessman, who bought the Segway company less than a year ago, died after riding one of the scooters off a cliff and into a river near his Yorkshire estate. |publisher=[[NBC News]] |accessdate=February 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-11465512|title=Inquest into Segway head's death|work=BBC News|date=4 October 2010|publisher=}}</ref>

The device's high price (between US$4000 and US$5500 depending upon the model) is believed to be the main factor responsible for demand being so much lower than expected. Supporters of the technology also claim that the Segway's introduction was spoiled when details leaked from a book manuscript, whose publication was supposed to coincide with the unveiling of the Segway, raised expectations prematurely. Segway enthusiasts claim that the general public is scared off by the revolutionary nature of the product, though these comments have no apparent basis in market research. In order to dispel possible misconceptions, and to undo some of the negative public image associated with it, Segway Inc. has opened dealerships throughout the [[United State]]s where people can examine and test-drive the Segway HTs. Still, there has been no indication that the general populace will anytime soon consider the Segway HT a practical everyday conveyance rather than an expensive toy.

[[File:Segway police Sweden.jpg|thumb|Police using a Segway in [[Stockholm]], Sweden]]

By late 2004, Segway Inc. had signed distribution agreements in several foreign markets, including [[Italy]] and [[South Korea]]. The company has received positive feedback from regulators in [[France]] and [[Italy]] regarding the legal status of Segway riders.

Versions of the product prior to 2011 included (in order of release):<ref>{{Cite web|title=Segway PT Previous Model|publisher=Segway Inc.|url=http://www.segway.com/about-segway/previous-models.php|access-date=2011-07-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709140608/http://www.segway.com/about-segway/previous-models.php|archive-date=9 July 2011}}</ref>

* Segway i167 (2001 revealed, 2002 shipped)

* Segway e167:{{when|date=January 2019}} As i167, with addition of electric kickstand

* Segway p133:{{when|date=January 2019}} Smaller platform and wheels and less powerful motors than the i and e Series with top speed of {{convert|10|mph}} in the p-Series

* Segway i180:{{when|date=January 2019}} With lithium-ion batteries<ref>[http://www.segway.com/product-archive/model_i180.html The versatile Segway PT i180] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812141652/http://www.segway.com/product-archive/model_i180.html |date=12 August 2007 }}</ref>

* Segway XT:{{when|date=January 2019}} 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 Inc. announced third generation designs, including the i2 SE and x2 SE sport, new LeanSteer frame and powerbase designs, with integrated lighting.<ref name=SELaunch>{{cite press release| url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/segway-launches-new-se-personal-transporters-pts-and-segsolution-accessory-packages-251918501.html|title=Segway Launches New SE Personal Transporters (PTs) And SegSolution Accessory Packages|publisher=Segway|date=24 March 2014|access-date=2 January 2020}}</ref>

Though its creators believe the Segway HT is ideal for dense urban areas, many American [[suburbs]] and major cities (such as [[Atlanta]] or [[Los Angeles]]) were designed to be navigated almost entirely by automobiles through use of highways and the [[Interstate]] freeway system. Communities in which the Segway would be most successful would seem to be those with much shorter distances between home, work, and recreational areas, so the success of the Segway HT in the market of personal transportation (as opposed to its current status as a recreational device) depends largely on urban development trends or the ability to safely produce future models with higher possible speeds.

===Subsidiary Usesof Ninebot===

Ninebot, a Beijing-based transportation robotics startup and a rival of Segway Inc., acquired Segway Inc. in April 2015, having raised $80M from [[Xiaomi]] and [[Sequoia Capital]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Catherine Shu|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/15/ninebot-segways-into-the-future/|title=Beijing-based Ninebot Acquires Segway, Raises $80M From Xiaomi And Sequoia|work=TechCrunch|date=15 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3822962/segway-ninebot-china/|title=Why This Chinese Startup Just Bought a Company Americans Love to Ridicule|magazine=Time|date=15 April 2015}}</ref> The acquisition came months after the [[United States International Trade Commission|U.S. International Trade Commission]] agreed to investigate Segway Inc.'s claim that Ninebot and other companies were infringing on its patents and copyrights.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=CTV News {{!}} Business News – Financial News Canada |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/china-s-ninebot-buys-personal-scooter-maker-segway-1.2327954/comments-7.630392 |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=www.ctvnews.ca}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2016-03-17 |title=Segway Patent Complaint Could Result In Import Ban On Most "Hoverboard" Scooters |url=https://consumerist.com/2016/03/17/segway-patent-complaint-could-result-in-import-ban-on-most-hoverboard-scooters/ |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=Consumerist |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Mullin |first=Joe |date=2016-03-17 |title=Most "hoverboards" set to be banned from US, courtesy of Segway |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/03/segway-uses-patents-to-win-an-import-ban-on-competing-hoverboards/ |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Segway Inc. requested the blocking of imports of competing scooters into the United States.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

[[Image:Savannah segway tour.jpg|thumb|right|Segway tour at Chippewa Square, in [[Savannah, Georgia]]]]

The Segway HT is designed to be used on [[sidewalk]]s and other [[pedestrian]] areas, hence its footprint is not much bigger than that of a human being. While using Segway HTs on sidewalks is prohibited in a handful of American and European cities, in most locations its use is allowed (and in some places explicitly). Other jurisdictions do not have a current legal definition for the Segway HT, hence making it unusable on either sidewalk or road; in such areas, dealers and advocates have been petitioning governments to create suitable regulations and legal definitions.

In June 2016, Segway Inc. launched the Segway miniPRO, a smaller [[self-balancing scooter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/06/01/segway-launches-1000-self-balancing-scooter-than-can-be-controlled-like-a-drone-from-your-phone/|title=Segway launches $1,000 self-balancing scooter you can control like a drone from your phone|work=Venture Beat|date=1 June 2016}}</ref>

If the distance to travel is short, as most car trips are, a Segway HT can be used for personal transportation between home and office, for getting around the city center, shopping, outdoor trips, etc. It is already used in some [[theme park]]s by both visitors and employees. Numerous companies organize guided group tours on Segway HTs in the USA, France, Thailand and other countries.

===End of production===

Several organizations have run pilot tests on Segway HT business use, among them police departments, post offices and utility companies. Some of these pilot programs have demonstrated that Segway HTs can often significantly reduce cost and quickly repay the investment; however, the massive fleet sales which Kamen and others predicted have not been forthcoming. This is partially due to the fact that the Segway HT has proven ill-suited for some of the applications for which it was promoted. For example, during a trial by mail-carriers employed by the [[United States Post Office]] to deliver mail on foot, many participants noted that they could not sort mail or hold an umbrella while operating a Segway HT. The participants also complained about the device's battery life; however, new batteries with increased capacity were announced in early 2005.

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.<ref name=":0" /> 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 PT which has led to notable accidents involving [[Usain Bolt]], [[George W. Bush]], [[Ellen DeGeneres]], [[Ian Healy]], and Segway Inc. previous owner [[Jimi Heselden]].<ref name=":1" /> While the Segway has remained popular for security and tourism, [[Motorized scooter|electric scooters]] have been more popular for personal mobility.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

=== UTVs ===

Although developed before the [[iBOT]] [[wheelchair]], the Segway HT was intended to be used primarily by healthy users. Still, there are some disabled people (400-600, according to a group called [http://www.draft.cc/DesktopDefault.aspx Disability Rights Advocates for Technology]) who use Segways to enhance their limited mobility. Among these users are people with [[multiple sclerosis]] or [[arthritis]], [[COPD]] and even [[amputation|amputee]]s. Using a Segway HT instead of a traditional wheelchair or an expensive iBOT (that costs four to five times as much as a Segway HT) allows them to easily travel around the city, while easing social interactions. However, Segway HTs cannot be marketed as medical devices, because Segway HTs have not been approved by the [[FDA]] as a medical device and because [[Johnson & Johnson]] has exclusive rights to the medical uses of the balancing technology found within the iBOT and Segway HT.

In February 2022, Segway entered the UTV ([[Side-by-side (vehicle)|Utility Terrain Vehicle]]) market.{{Citation needed|reason=No current reference|date=April 2024}}

==Products==

Most of the Segway HT technology is concentrated in its base with the handle being only useful for the [[human]] rider. Stripped of the handle, the Segway HT becomes a universal [[robot]]ic platform that is still capable of balancing whatever is installed and of moving around as easily as with a human. The Segway robotic platform is widely used by robotics developers in universities and private companies. In [[December 2003]], the [[Associated Press]] reported that [[The Pentagon]] had purchased several Segways, as part of a research program called ''Mobile Autonomous Robot Software'', an attempt to develop more advanced [[military robot]]s. There have also been some rumours about a batch of sturdier Segways used by soldiers in a pilot exercise. (See also: [[Bicycles in warfare]]).

At the end of production in 2020, Segway Inc. was selling these five self-balancing scooters:

;Professional

In [[October 2004]] the company released a prototype model of a four-wheel [[all-terrain vehicle]] capable of driving on two wheels called [[Centaur (ATV)]].

* Segway i2 SE (professional [[Personal transporter#Self-balancing scooter|self-balancing scooter]] for use in warehouses and other locations)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk-en.segway.com/products/segway-i2-se|title=Segway I2 SE|publisher=Segway Inc.|access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref>

* Segway x2 SE (ruggedised self-balancing scooter for use on most challenging terrain)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk-en.segway.com/products/segway-x2-se|title=Segway x2 SE|publisher=Segway Inc.|access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref>

* Segway Robot (autonomous robot based on the Segway miniPro)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.segwayrobotics.com/|title=Meet Loomo|work=Segway Robotics|access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref>

;Consumer

In [[November 2004]] Josh Caldwell became the first individual to complete a trans-continental trip from Seattle to Boston via a Segway Human Transport vehicle. The trip took 101 days leaving from Seattle on [[August 8]] [[2004]] and finishing in Boston on [[November 18]] [[2004]].

* Ninebot by Segway E+ (self-balancing scooter for general use)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk-en.segway.com/products/ninebot-by-segway-e|title=Ninebot by Segway E+|publisher=Segway Inc.|access-date=13 July 2017|archive-date=19 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719234128/http://uk-en.segway.com/products/ninebot-by-segway-e|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* Ninebot by Segway miniPro (smaller self-balancing scooter for general use, controlled by a 'knee control bar')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk-en.segway.com/products/ninebot-by-segway-minipro|title=Segway miniPro|publisher=Segway Inc.|access-date=13 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707031230/http://uk-en.segway.com/products/ninebot-by-segway-minipro|archive-date=7 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* Segway GT1P/GT2 P(battery electric super kick scooter){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

* GT1 (battery electric super kick scooter)<ref>{{Cite web |title=GT1 Segway-Ninebot Electric SuperScooter |url=https://www.segway.com.au/products/segway-ninebot-superscooter-gt1 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Segway-Ninebot Australia |language=en}}</ref>

* GT2 (battery electric super kick scooter)<ref>{{Cite web |title=GT2 Segway-Ninebot Electric SuperScooter |url=https://www.segway.com.au/products/segway-superscooter-gt2 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Segway-Ninebot Australia |language=en}}</ref>

*ZT3Pro (battery electric kick scooter)<ref>{{Cite web |title=KickScooter ZT3Pro - Product - Segway-Ninebot Australia |url=https://au.segway.com/product/kickscooter-zt3pro.html |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=au.segway.com}}</ref>

*Xafari (full suspension trekking ebike)

*Xyber (battery electric motorcycle)<ref>{{Cite web |title=E-bike - Segway |url=https://ebike.segway.com/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=ebike.segway.com}}</ref>

*Dirt eBike X260 (battery electric motorcycle)

*Dirt eBike X160 (battery electric motorcycle)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Electric Dirt Bike {{!}} Dirt eBikes {{!}} Segway Official Store |url=https://store.segway.com/dirtebike |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=store.segway.com}}</ref>

;Powersports

== Technology ==

ATV: AT5 S, AT5 L, AT6 S, AT6 L<br>UTV: UT10, UT10 Crew<br>SSV (SxS): SX10 - E, SX10 - X, SX10 - WIDE, SX20 - TURBO, SX20 - HYBRID<ref>{{Cite web |title=ATVs {{!}} Segway Powersports Helping Hardworking Farmers |url=https://segwaypowersports.com.au/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Segway Powersports Australia |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Segway HT has [[electric motor]]s powered by [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]] which can be charged from household current. It balances with the help of dual [[computer]]s, two tilt sensors, and five [[gyroscope|gyroscopic sensors]]. (The gyroscopes do not affect the balance; they are merely used as sensors.) The servo motors rotate the wheels forwards or backwards as needed for balance or propulsion. The rider accelerates or decelerates by leaning forward or backwards in the direction he or she wishes to travel. Steering is controlled by a twist grip on the left handlebar.

;Ninebot

== Models and price ==

*E300SE (battery electric motorcycle)

Current versions include:

*E110S (battery electric motorcycle)

*Segway HT &mdash; Human Transporter

*E125S (battery electric motorcycle)<ref>{{Cite web |title=eMotorbike - Product - Segway-Ninebot Australia |url=https://au.segway.com/product/emotorbike.html |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=au.segway.com}}</ref>

*Segway GT &mdash; Golf Transporter

*Segway XT &mdash; Cross-Terrain Transporter

*Segway HTi80- The Versitale Segway

==Technology==

[[As of 2005]], there are also variants of the HT model available:

The dynamics of the Segway PT are similar to a classic control problem, the [[inverted pendulum]]. It uses [[brushless DC electric motor]]s in each wheel powered by [[lithium-ion battery|lithium-ion batteries]] with balance achieved using [[tilt sensor]]s, and [[gyroscopic sensor]]s developed by [[BAE Systems]]' [[Marconi Research Centre|Advanced Technology Centre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.segway-madrid.com/aboutus/press_releases/pr_072202.html|title=Segway - About Us - Press Releases - BAE SYSTEMS and Segway LLC Announce Partnership to Market Segway Human Transporter in the UK - 22 Jul 2002|work=segway-madrid.com|access-date=24 August 2012|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308042207/http://www.segway-madrid.com/aboutus/press_releases/pr_072202.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* i-series &mdash; general-purpose, can be used on variable terrain, also includes a special [[police]] model

* p-series &mdash; for use on sidewalks, smaller with shorter battery life

==Usage==

Several new models were announced on [[March 1]] [[2005]], aimed more towards the recreational market. Extended range (15 to 24 miles) [[Lithium ion battery|lithium ion batteries]] are also available for between $500 and $1300 depending on how they are purchased.

{{see also|Personal transporter#Use and regulation by country}}

[[File:FlorenceSegwayTour.jpg|thumb|Two tourists on a Segway tour in [[Florence]], Italy]]

In 2011, the Segway i2 was being marketed to the emergency medical services community.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.streetsmartsegway.com/segway-streetsmart/streetsmart-lifeline-ems-segway.html |title=EMS LifeLine |publisher=StreetSmart Segway |access-date=6 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114061414/http://www.streetsmartsegway.com/segway-streetsmart/streetsmart-lifeline-ems-segway.html |archive-date=14 November 2011}}</ref>

In 2018, the police of Stockholm adopted Segway i2 as a transportation method for the patrollers of the old town.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=2019-08-26|title=IN PICTURES: Stockholm's segway police are here to stay|url=https://www.thelocal.se/20180508/stockholm-segway-police-are-here-to-stay-sweden|date=2018-05-08|newspaper=The Local Sweden}}</ref>

The price of Segway is $3995 to $5495, depending on the model.

==See also==

The Segway HT's maximum speed is 12.5 mph (approximately 20 km/h). Maximum power is 2 [[horsepower]] (1500 [[watt]]) per servo motor. The p-series is capable of covering 6-10 miles (10-16 km) on a fully charged standard battery, depending on terrain. It takes 4-6 hours to recharge.

* {{annotated link|Jonathan Gleich}}

* {{annotated link|Scooter (motorcycle)}}

Some detractors note that $200 electrified [[kick scooter]]s provide very similar utility.

* {{annotated link|Segway polo}}

==Trivia==

*The Segway HT has been known by the names ''Ginger'' and ''IT'' in the past. The name ''Ginger'' followed the name of the project the Segway branched from, which was to develop a wheelchair able to climb stairs. It was called ''Fred Upstairs'', after [[Fred Astaire]] &mdash; hence ''[[Ginger Rogers|Ginger]]''.

*The invention and development of the Segway HT is the subject of ''Code Name Ginger'' (the paperback edition is titled ''Reinventing the Wheel''), a book by journalist Steve Kemper.

*The name "Segway" is a [[homophone]] of "[[segue]]" (a smooth musical transition); ''HT'' is an [[acronym]] for ''human [[Transport|transporter]]''.

*The inspiration behind the Segway HT came from the balancing technology of Kamen's innovative wheelchair, the [[IBOT]], which can climb stairs, and prop itself up onto two wheels, to raise the user into a nearly-upright position. The first iterations of balancing technology were done in early Segway HT models.

*The Segway HT resembles the motorized, gyroscopically stabilized unicycles in the [[science fiction]] [[short story]] by [[Robert A. Heinlein]] titled "[[The Roads Must Roll]]."

*The chemist and inventor [[David E. H. Jones]] ("[[Daedalus (Ariadne)|Daedalus]]") described a similar kind of servo-stabilized unicycle, called "the unisphere" in a column in [[New Scientist]] magazine on 18 May, 1978.

*An article states that Kamen holds that "walking is a remnant of the Dark Ages, an unpleasant time-waster that technology need eradicate" [http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/12/07/segway/]; this point is often noted by critics of the Segway, who feel that walking is a natural human exercise that should be encouraged, not made obsolete, to offset declining health figures.

*President George W. Bush fell off his personal Segway in June 2003, but was unharmed. The incident reportedly happened because the Segway was not switched on.

*President George W. Bush gave a Segway as a gift to Japanese Prime Minister [[Junichiro Koizumi]] in December 2005.

==Segway in popular culture==

*People at [http://www.bayareaseg.com Bay Area SEG] have been leading the trend to use Segway in a sport called [[Segway Polo]]. [http://www.bayareaseg.com/Polo.htm]

*The Segway and its IBOT ancestor were both preceded in concept by the two wheel fire engine of the [[comic strip]] character [[Smokey Stover]].

*In the ''[[Frasier]]'' episode "[[The Love You Fake]]," [[Niles Crane|Niles]] is a Segway tester and is seen riding one throughout the show.

*In [[Arrested Development (TV series)|''Arrested Development'']], [[Characters_from_Arrested_Development#George_Oscar_.22G.O.B..22_Bluth_II|G.O.B.]] owns a Segway and is often seen riding it.

*Episode 511 of ''[[South Park]]'', "[[The Entity (South Park)|The Entity]]", was based on early advertisements for the Segway. These ads only referred to the Segway as "It." (According to the directors' mini-commentary for the episode, they apparently bought a Segway, tried to do a trick on it in the parking lot, and broke it.)

*[[Shaquille O'Neal]] is known to own (or have owned) a Segway, as evinced by a tour of his home on [[MTV Cribs]].

*On the Reise Reise tour [[Flake Lorenz]], the keyboardist from the German rock band [[Rammstein]], rode a Segway during the song [[Amerika]] in a show in [[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]]. He accidentally ran into the band's lead singer [[Till Lindemann]], giving him a bad knee injury which meant Rammstein's Asian tour had to be cancelled.

*[[WWE]] professional wrestler [[Simon Dean]] routinely drives a Segway to ringside before his matches. He has named his Segway "The Dean Machine".

*In The Simpson's episode ''[[The Seven-Beer Snitch]]'', Homer is seen riding a Segway to flee a prison mob.

* Japan's [[Prime Minister]] [[Junichiro Koizumi]] turned up to work on a Segway. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4534534.stm]

* [[Steve Wozniak]] (Woz) Apple Computer Founder, was the first consumer to purchase a Segway

== See also ==

* [[Segue]]: Smooth transition

* [[eunicycle]]

* [[America at 10 mph]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

* ''Code Name Ginger'', by Steve Kemper

==External links==

* {{Official website|www.segway.com}}

* [http://www.igo.nu/ iGo Segway Tours Amsterdam]

* [{{web archive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721124219/http://www.segway.com/patents.pdf |title=Segway HT]Patent &mdash;Information official|date=2017-07-21 site}}

* [https://www.uksegboards.co.uk/certifications Segway Certifications]

* [http://www.citystreets.org/segway.html &mdash; First comprehensive evaluation in dense urban environment]

* {{Commons category-inline|Segways}}

* [http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=segway_more_complicated_than_it_needs_to_be How to render a Segway useless]

* [http://www.segway.se &mdash; Segway Nordic Distributor ] &mdash; Sweden, Finland and Denmark on Segway HT

* [http://www.segwayguidedtours.com Segway Guided Tours] &mdash; Lists Segway tours worldwide

* [http://www.WeMove.nl/ WeMove] &mdash; Biggest Dutch Segway supplier

* [http://www.10mph.com First trans-continental expedition via Segway]

* [http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/segway_laws.html Segway laws in the US]

* [http://www.segamerica.org/ SEG America] &mdash; National Enthusiast Group

* [http://www.segwaychat.com/ Segway Chat] &mdash; Online owners and enthusiasts community

* [http://www.segwayboston.org SegwayBoston.org] &mdash; Boston Area Segway Group

* [http://www.dekaresearch.com/ibot.html DEKA Research & Development Corporation's IBOT]

* [http://recalls.justia.com/cpsc-content-03-03553.html Recalls:Segway LLC]

* [http://tlb.org/scooter.html Make your own Segway for less than half the cost.]

* [http://www.bayareaseg.com The Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group.]

* [http://www.sfelectrictour.com San Francisco and Sausalito Electric Tour Company &mdash; Guided Waterfront Tours on a Segway.]

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4409649.stm BBC article on the Segway]

* [http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Segway Uncyclopedia's Segway article]

* [http://www.theredkey.net The Red Key] &mdash; Segway Enthusiast News

* http://www.segwaynyny.com &mdash; New York City Segway and Chat site

* [http://www.citysegwaytours.com City Segway Tours] &mdash; the first guided Segway tour on the planet

* [http://www.lyonsegway.com Lyon Segway] &mdash; the first guided Segway tour in Lyon / France

* [http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gth856d/buffalo/ A remote control self-balancing robot] &mdash; A small working model of a Segway

* [http://www.segwow.com SEGWOW.COM &mdash; Guided Segway Tours in the Los Angeles area, with 15 different tours!]

* [http://www.gaetanomarano.it/segway/segway.html ORIGINAL Segway Desktop Wallpapers] &mdash; Segway on the Moon &mdash; BatSegway &mdash; SegWarhol &mdash; First 1930s Segway &mdash; Segway waving flags &mdash; Segway animations &mdash; Segway humor images

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