The Luxury Portal: Lifestyle Articles, Homes, Yachts, Auto, Jets

  

Segue into Future with a Segway PT

Luxury Vehicles: The Segway PT is a revolutionary mode of traveling to and fro that is wedging itself into the mainstream as a practical battery-operated, rechargeable and eco-friendly form of alternative transportation. It is a personal transporter. It looks like something Neil Armstrong may have found useful while traversing the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. If earthlings ever go planet hopping again, a Segway PT will probably be part of the plan. It somewhat resembles a hand-powered lawn mower with super-size 19-inch tires.

The two-wheel fanciful, futuristic scooter takes only moments to learn to drive. Having just two 14-inch wheels at its sides, novice riders may feel it is difficult to master. However, in most cases, neophytes are navigating it quite well in minutes. This is due to the principles of dynamic balance. Similar to how the brain and the body work together to maintain balance when standing and walking, the PT, with its five micro-machined gyroscopic sensors and two accelerometers, immediately adjusts and compensates for the "load." It actually senses such changes 100 times faster than the brain can think.

The Segway accelerates up to 12 mph and travels up to 24 miles per charge. Its current maximum carrying weight is 260 pounds, and it weighs 105 pounds with accessories. There are eight versions of the vehicle. It has practical applications for business, law enforcement, and general transportation. The Segway x2 has a police, adventure, and golf model available. The approximate price range of the various Segway PT is $4,000 to $6,000. Distributors of Segway PTs are popping up from North America to New Zealand.

Another dynamic product by Segway is the Robotic Mobility Platform (RMP). It is a customizable transportation platform that is suitable for moving heavy payloads in tight spaces over a variety of terrain.

When visiting the firm's website, check out the Segway Centaur. It is a conceptual four-wheel vehicle of tomorrow too.

For LxM James Rothaar