Rolling along [Archive]

Casey

09-23-2002, 12:30 PM

quote:Web posted Sunday, September 22, 2002

Rolling along
Dan Glidewell gets a lot of attention when he promotes the Segway Human Transporter

By ROBERT GOLD
Staff writer

Dan Glidewell always seems to draw a crowd -- at least when he's tooling around town on his self-balancing electric scooter.

"I love going down to JP's with it and let people see it and touch it," Glidewell said of the Segway Human Transporter he often drives to the Eighth Street coffee shop.

The Holland resident works for Segway, the company founded by noted inventor Dean Kamen last year. Based in part on Kamen's reputation as an inventor and the uniqueness of the transporter's technology, Segway's electric machines have created a technological buzz since they were rolled out last year, making appearances on magazine covers, TV shows and newspapers across America.

Sitting at the Alpen Rose restaurant on a recent afternoon, Glidewell's machine quickly draws attention.

"Is that one of those Segway products?" asked Zeeland resident Pat Lampen as she picked up a couple drinks at the restaurant.

Seconds later, Alpen Rose hostess Cassandra Goebel queried Glidewell about the scooter.

"Is that the thing that was on 'Frasier?'" said Goebel. "I saw Niles riding around on that thing and I though it was so funny."

Glidewell, who travels the country helping businesses and other groups test the transporters, soon let Lampen and Goebel take a ride.

Within 20 seconds of hopping on the two-wheeled machine, Lampen is coasting back and forth on the machine, which lets you zoom backwards by slightly leaning backwards.

"I think it's a great toy ... I have no use for one, but I'd love to have one," she said.

With his last name, some might think Glidewell was destined for his job working with the smooth-running machines.

"I think my ancestors had a premonition or something," he said.

A former manufacturing engineer at Haworth Inc., Glidewell got to know Kamen through the inventor's sponsorship of the FIRST Robotics competition, a national robotics competition for high school students. Glidewell worked with a team sponsored for Haworth.

After being laid off by Haworth last year, Glidewell kept in touch with Kamen and even helped showcase the Segway transporter to local businesses and officials in March such as Mayor Al McGeehan and the Holland Police Department. Glidewell was hired by Segway in May.

Glidewell said he was attracted to working for the company because of how the product can impact people and workplaces.

"I think everybody has a responsibility to contribute to society," he said. Segway officials are taking their time with the product -- they're dedicating most of this year to convincing businesses and government agencies across the country that their scooters can make lasting contributions. The company currently offers two industrial models that are being tested by various businesses and organizations across the country.

Some of the groups that have or will test the machine include the National Park Service, Michelin, GE Plastics, the U.S. Postal Service and Delphi Automotive.

The company is touting the transporter to businesses as a environmentally sound way to get around quickly, giving employees more energy and the ability to transport more.

"It allows them to rethink their business practices," said Tobe Cohen, director of marketing for Segway.

Cohen said that the Segway would allow post offices to expand their route size because carriers could get around quickly. The industrial models travel up to 12.5 miles per hour and can travel up to 17 miles on a single electric charge.

The company is also targeting manufacturing plants -- its e Series model includes baskets and can transport up to 75 pounds, in addition to transporting a person who weighs up to 250 pounds.

A series of gyroscopes and tilt sensors allow riders to stay upright all the time so they only need to use the handle bars to steer.

"Our product can stop in place. It can go backwards...Unlike a bike, you don't need speed to keep balanced," said Cohen.

The Segway's ability to stand up at no speed and move backwards and forwards by the rider's leaning motion impressed McGeehan.

"I'm still amazed that the devices is able to do what it does," McGeehan said.

McGeehan said the topic of buying the devices, which cost about $5,000, for city employees was not brought up at the March meeting.

"I'm intrigued. I'm a fan. Just need to learn more about the practical applications," McGeehan said.

"There's still a strong interest but I haven't pursued any sales," Glidewell said of his Holland stops. "Our sales stat is handling all the sales it can."

While Segway currently produces industrial models that weigh 83 and 95 pounds, its 69 pound consumer model is not yet available to the public.