Quote:
Originally Posted by Isidore
Centre of gravity is irrelevant for an inverted pendulum. With an electric device weight is important-even if you cannot reduce the weight of the payload. Reducing the weight of a Seg by 25% has a small but measurable effect on the total weight being moved and there is absolutely no point making it heavier than it needs to be, it wastes resources and reduces performance- think how great the P was. If you have to lift it into the back of your car you will definitely notice the loss of 10/12 kg and that seriously impacts the utility of the device and where you can use it- If you could get it down to 25Kg with a quick release column and wheels, you COULD carry it in a shoulder bag and that would be a real game changer for the private user market.
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I think the current i2 is already as light as it could/should be. With all the potential curb dropping and the constant pounding the structure gets on a daily basis, it has to be robust. The chassis is formidable and needs to be so. The gearboxes seem to be robust, and also need to be so.
I don't see much potential for weight saving other than from some possible future change in battery technology or perhaps the use of titanium or magnesium instead of aluminum for the chassis. But that would increase the price which many here abhor.
I am personally grateful to Segway, Inc. for the current design which allows me to glide with relative confidence, enabling me to take much of my attention off of the machine and onto the machine's navigation as well as the environment.
If the P was so great, why didn't many more buy it? Answer: It wasn't that great. Better solution to lifting machine into back of car: Work out with an i2 to develop your muscles, or buy a hauler/Segvator.
Quick release column and wheels? Pipe dreams. Easy to imagine, but difficult (costly) to engineer/manufacture so as to be reliable.