Laynebuilt Ally product has launched!

[rickb]

Also, "the lean your head back" comment was from a woman in the sideline to a child demoing a power chair......that comment was not directed at Casey as a skilled rider. There are many mobility devices being demoed on this obstacle course and in the general vicinity. The first attempt wasn't failed it was Casey stopping in the middle of the ramp doing a "controlled" reverse to get intructions from the person in charge of the obstacle course.

[Pkelley]

Seat belts save lives, not driving would save more lives. The risk to benefit is the issue and as I see it mobility trumps any perceive risk.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by rickb

Ally is not a typical setup but the demo video certainly makes it appear that it is far more manueverable over varied terrain than a standard power wheelchair. My experience on Segways is limited to a two hour tour normal gliding in a standing position and a two hour demo with a SegSaddle (quality, comfortable product by the way) in a seated position. I didn't feel there was much differance in stopping time.

The Ally specs shows the seat being custom adjusted to the rider for optimal balance of the Segway in a stopped position. Weight shifting to move forward, reverse, or to stop doesn't seem dynanmically different to red flag a safety issue in a panic stop.

Casey has apparently over 3000 hours of glide time on his prototype. I hope he responds to the panic/emergency stop concern.

I can tell you, there is a lot of difference in stopping potential between standing on a regular segway and sitting on a modified one. You can exert much more movement and control when standing, as it was originally designed and programmed.

I think it would be most instructive to see a comparison test with similar assistive devices out there.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by Pkelley

Seat belts save lives, not driving would save more lives. The risk to benefit is the issue and as I see it mobility trumps any perceive risk.

Really. ANY perceived risk? With countless other purpose-designed devices out there, you wouldn't take into account any perceived risk among them?

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by ******

I will agree that in most every situation, the segway has more responsiveness when the operator is standing, and all other factors are relatively similar.

But if you do not have feet, that is a non issue.

(Disclaimer: The following response is directed to no-one in particular, but only to the content posted)

The absolute responsive dynamics of a device would only be a non-issue if there were no other such devices available. But there are many other assistive devices available, purpose-designed from the ground up, and intended to provide similar functionality. I am curious to see how the dynamics and abilities of the segway wheelchair conversion compare to such other assistive devices.

[KSagal]

Good point. I also wonder how the segway, used as a mobility device, compares with those items you say are designed, ground up, to provide similar functionality.

I am not aware of many, but I do not spend much time at it. From my personal observation, I have never seen any device designed ground up for mobility that provides similar functionality to the segway.

All mobility devices that I have ever seen, have a far greater footprint, as an example. I have seen a standing mobility device or two, but most are along the lines of a chair that also allows people to stand, or be lifted into a near vertical position. Still, the base is as large as an electric wheel chair, much larger than a segway.

Many electric wheelchairs, Ibot included, are much much larger, less nimble, and less functional in that they cannot go in and out, cannot turn in their own foot print, and need much more elaborate transportation arrangements, because of their size and weight.

All that said, I really would like to see an honest and objective comparison of the different options available. I say this as a relatively able bodied person, but someone with specific limitations, a comparison may not work, unless it included a variable scale for the different limitations that each person's medical condition may entail.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by ******

I am not aware of many, but I do not spend much time at it. From my personal observation, I have never seen any device designed ground up for mobility that provides similar functionality to the segway.

All mobility devices that I have ever seen, have a far greater footprint, as an example. I have seen a standing mobility device or two, but most are along the lines of a chair that also allows people to stand, or be lifted into a near vertical position. Still, the base is as large as an electric wheel chair, much larger than a segway.

Many electric wheelchairs, Ibot included, are much much larger, less nimble, and less functional in that they cannot go in and out, cannot turn in their own foot print, and need much more elaborate transportation arrangements, because of their size and weight.

My proposed mobility device comparison referred to the sit-down Wheelchair converted segway, not a Factory stand-up segway. I carefully chose my phrasing to make that clear, anticipating someone might construe it differently.

There appear to be plenty of mobility devices available that can turn within their own footprint. I don't mean to hijack this thread with other products, but here are some examples of the type that might be interesting for test comparisons:

http://www.1800wheelchair.com/asp/vi...roduct_id=1246
http://www.spinlife.com/Pride-Jazzy-...template=spec6

I'm also concerned about what would happen if the operator catches a wheel or slips, causing an imbalance, trip & fall. We all realize this can happen on standard segways even with skilled operators. The difference in this wheelchair application would be the operator could be rendered in a much more dire situation than a stand-up operator of a factory segway. In comparison, it would seem such trip/fall hazards are unlikely with the dynamics of more conventional power chairs.

[KSagal]

Before my father passed on, he used to ride his rascal type 3 or 4 wheel scooter, due to his loss of mobility. He had ridden a motorcycle deep into his 60s, so this was a bit different, but not entirely foreign to him.

He was retired and thousands of miles from my home, but I would regularly hear of his adventures, and misadventures. He fell from his machines more than once, I believe that his particular bane was backing out of his driveway, and catching or going over the curb with one wheel, resulting in a spill into the road.

I offer this only to respond to the assumption that a person on a segway is more more likely to have a trip/fall problem than one on a mobility device built ground up as a seated mobility device.

I do not know that is so. I do believe we all presume certain things, and assume more. That does not make it so. I have often caught a wheel on a door frame, and sometimes even done the segway dance, but I simply do not fall as a result, because I am aware of what I am doing. And I can step off.

I believe with no statistical data to support my opinion, that a person using a segway as a mobility choice will have certain things to be careful about, and that same person having a different mobility device will have other areas to be careful about. I do not believe that one is clearly superior to another in any absolute way.

What I do respect is the choice each individual makes. I choose to believe that people I don't know, with challenges I don't know, will choose the mobility device that best suits their needs. I further believe that sitting here, with no facts at all but still chock full of my opinions, I am less able to dictate their wiser choices. Even if people make choices I would not make, I respect the fact that it is their choice to make, not mine.

So, we should all glide more, and smile more. All other factors do not apply, at least not on this forum at this moment.

[rickb]

I am in the process of choosing a mobility device that best suits my needs and believe the sit down or adaptive Segway provides for the greatest manueverability with the maximal fun factor. I have seen people tip and fall from a Three Wheeler Rascal and Jazzy power Chairs tip off the edge of an eight inch curb. There is potential to fall from all of these devices and hopefully we get back up as more experienced riders/gliders probably to fall again. The key is we make our individual choices based on all the good discussion and information provided thru personal experiences from members on this website.

[Lily Kerns]

Originally Posted by rickb

I am in the process of choosing a mobility device that best suits my needs and believe the sit down or adaptive Segway provides for the greatest manueverability with the maximal fun factor. I have seen people tip and fall from a Three Wheeler Rascal and Jazzy power Chairs tip off the edge of an eight inch curb. There is potential to fall from all of these devices and hopefully we get back up as more experienced riders/gliders probably to fall again. The key is we make our individual choices based on all the good discussion and information provided thru personal experiences from members on this website.

DRAFT: Are these young men and women being directed to this chat forum? These people are--or soon will be -- experts on the extreme disability use of a Seg. I love to hear responses on this issue from some of them....