Charlotte, NC Segway

The Segway Glides Into Living Greener

2010-04-23T10:26:00.000-04:00

By Sherry Swensk, LasVegasNOW.com, April 23, 2010

Many green-living commuters are choosing bikes and electric scooters over gas-guzzling, smog-puking cars these days. But there is another personal mode of transportation that is growing in popularity, especially in recreational areas and the security professions. It’s the Segway. Remember Paul Blart, Mall Cop? He rode one and handled it well, as I recall.

Dick Burke of Segway, Orange County says these funky upright two-wheelers are about as green as you can get, next to people-powered vehicles. They are lithium-ion battery-powered and run up to 25 miles on one charge, at up to 12.5 mph. They operate simply by shifting your weight and perform best on smooth surfaces, like streets and sidewalks (or mall floors). Police officers use them. Tour guides take tourists out sightseeing on them. And even golfers ride them on the course! They do make an off-road model, too for those rugged adventurous Segwayers.

They’re fun, they’re clean green, but they’re not cheap. The price tag runs into the thousands; it’s a serious green investment. If you’d like to check them out and take a test ride, Segway - Orange County will be at the Living Green Expo this weekend, April 24 & 25 at the South Point Hotel-Casino. Come on down and take a whirl. You may get hooked on the first spin!

Dustbot Comes When You Call It, to Pick Up Your Garbage and Take It Away

2010-04-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

By Denise Ngo, Popular Science, April 22, 2010

Recycling is often too bothersome of a task for the average person. Enter Dustbot, an adorable Segway-powered robot that travels from home to home hauling out people's garbage on request. When notified by mobile phone, Dustbot uses GPS and motion sensors to locate the caller's address. Upon Dustbot's arrival, the caller selects the type of garbage he wants to give the robot. Dustbot then carries the trash or recycling to the appropriate location.

Researchers at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna CRIM Lab in Pisa, Italy, developed Dustbot as a solution to the inconvenience of garbage trucks that arrive only at fixed times and places. Dustbot not only runs at all hours, whenever your garbage is ready to be picked up, but it can navigate the narrow alleyways prevalent in urban environments. Click on the video above to see the Dustbot and its cohorts-in-cleaning, DustCart and DustClean, in action.

The friendly-looking Dustbot carries 70 pounds of garbage, travels at two miles an hour, and comes equipped with a battery that enables 10 miles of autonomous travel. While the thought of robots roaming around cities may be disconcerting for some, the convenience of on-call recycling could be a dealmaker for people who are tired of seeing their sidewalks littered with unsightly trash bags.

The only thing that would make Dustbot more perfect, once it goes commercial, is if it would also deliver our dry cleaning.

[ieee spectrum]

Leaning toward eco-friendly transportation

2010-04-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

By Mary Malahy, Racquet, April 22, 2010

Segways seemed to have taken over Badger Street on April 13 and 14, when Segway of Wisconsin gave students the chance to test drive their eco-friendly mode of transportation on campus.

Dr. Gail Gillis brought Segway of Wisconsin to campus as a treat for her Production and Operations Management class.

“This is just for them to have fun,” Gillis said. “It’s all about the students today.”

As the students zipped down the street in front of Wimberly it was evident that Gillis accomplished her goal for the day.

According to Jennifer Connors Clark, director of sales and marketing for Segway of Wisconsin, Gillis’s students weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the Segways. She said it was amazing how many students were interested and that the classes filled up within an hour of her arrival.

“Segways are a very unique, versatile, green mode of transportation for a single person,” Clark said.

Clark explained that they are green because they do not have any emissions and do not require any fossil fuels. The user simply charges the vehicle and then can ride for 24 miles before charging it again. According to Clark, this is very cost effective because it only costs 25 cents to fully charge a battery.

Segways are convenient for short trips such as going grocery shopping, Clark said. They travel at 12.5 miles per hour and can be driven inside or outside. In Wisconsin it is legal to ride them on sidewalks, so they can be used pretty much anywhere people walk or bike, Clark said.

According to Clark, Segways have become popular with airport staff, police officers and security guards. They are particularly nice for police officers, Clark added. She explained that if someone sees a police officer running down the street he or she knows something is wrong and becomes curious. But if someone sees a police officer gliding down the street on a Segway, they simply think it looks cool.

“It draws the right kind of attention and keeps away the wrong kind,” Clark said.

Segways are also very popular in warehouses or in companies with large campuses, Clark said, because employees are much more efficient if they can travel faster.

According to Gillis, the visit from Segway tied into her class because she is teaching about being environmentally friendly in the business world.

Training Snipers Using Segways

2010-04-21T16:01:00.001-04:00

By Adam Frucci, Gizmodo, April 8, 2010

How do you make sniper target practice more helpful and more fun? By shooting at Segway robots, of course.

For the Australian Defense Force's snipers, they enlisted the help of Marathon Robotics to set up a course populated by Segways with dummies on board. The Segways are programmed to wander around a small village aimlessly, and when a sniper picks one of them off, they all scatter automatically.

It's all pretty clever and awesome, really. It makes me want to become a sniper just so I can do this, which feels like a real-life video game. But I won't, because they are practicing so they can get good at shooting real people in the head. I guess I'll just stick with the video games then. [Marathon Robotics via Engadget]

Send an email to Adam Frucci, the author of this post, at adam@gizmodo.com.

A Segway built for two

2010-04-14T13:00:00.013-04:00

By DENIS PAISTE, UnionLeader.com, March 24, 2010

BEDFORD – Segway joined General Motors on the stage in Shanghai today to unveil a two-passenger, Segway-powered vehicle that can drive itself, turn on a dime and communicate with others like it to avoid collisions.

Bedford-based Segway, along with partners GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), made the announcement this morning in preparation for the six-month-long Shanghai Expo, where the partners will be demonstrating the Segway-based EN-V electric vehicles 30 times a day.

►Segway.com: The En-V Project

The expo in the teeming Chinese metropolis of 14 million is expected to draw 70 million visitors. GM will have its own pavilion at the global exhibition. The pavilion opens May 1.

Segway's self-balancing, battery-powered drive train was invented by Dean Kamen and unveiled in 2001 with the popular Segway Personal Transport vehicle. The electric, self-balancing Segway PT is a one-person transporter controlled by gyroscopic stabilization and directed by a rider's body movement.

In Shanghai, three different models of the concept two-seater are named Jiao (Pride), Xiao (Laugh) and Miao (Magic). The self-balancing, battery-powered drivetrain systems developed by Segway for Expo demo vehicles can travel up to 25 mph with a range of 25 miles.

A better way?

The new vehicles grew out of Segway's partnership with GM on Project PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), announced last year.

Chris Borroni-Bird, GM's director of Advanced Technology, said EN-V (Electric Network Vehicles) technology aims to create a solution to vehicle exhaust pollution, urban congestion and parking.

Borroni-Bird said five times as many EN-V vehicles can fit into the same parking footprint as one mid-sized car, such as a Chevrolet Malibu.

"Our solution here is a three-legged stool," he said. "It's an electric vehicle, a networked vehicle, a small-footprint vehicle."

The EN-V boasts zero emissions, is highly maneuverable and brakes by itself.

Clay Dean, director of GM Advanced Design, said the body is made from carbon fiber composites and has a front-opening door.

"We see this explosion of design and graphics and texture which allows the designers to do something very unique . . . which sheet metal would never have allowed us to do," Dean said.

Segway was responsible for the drivetrain mechanism that houses all of the motors and sensors that let the vehicle operate.

The coach systems -- the body of the vehicle -- were developed by General Motors and are attached to the mobility platform developed by Segway.

Because of Segway's electric, self-balancing platform, all the power and drive mechanisms reside under a sliding base. That eliminates any need for a dashboard, steering wheel, gas pedal or other traditional automobile components.

FIRST to Segway

Bedford-based Segway spokesman Eric Fleming is in Shanghai for the unveiling this week. Fleming came to Segway through his participation in the Kamen-inspired FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics competition as a high school student in Farmington, Conn.

Segway put everything it learned about self-balancing, battery management and other technologies into the EN-V project, Fleming said.

There are challenges. Too fast for sidewalks, too fragile for highways, the new vehicles may be suited to bicycle paths and yet-to-be-created dedicated travel lanes. They also offer the opportunity to bring greater mobility to the elderly and disabled.

General Motors will jointly manufacture vehicles for sale in the Chinese market with SAIC.

Biltmore's 25th Annual Festival of Flowers Will Offer Segway Tours

2010-03-31T13:39:00.001-04:00

PRNewswire, March 10, 2010

Celebratory anniversary events across the estate to include music, activities and a new garden audio tour

April 3 - May 16, 2010

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Gorgeous blooms are in full glory as thousands of tulips welcome springtime during Biltmore's 25th annual Festival of Flowers, April 3 – May 16, 2010. The estate-wide event celebrates the beauty of George Vanderbilt's 8,000-acre property and its original design by Frederick Law Olmsted, father of American landscape architecture. Biltmore's gardens, Olmsted's final and most grand project, are in their 120th year, and are becoming more beautiful as time passes. For the first time, a cell phone audio tour of the gardens offering historical facts as well as more detailed information about plant varieties will also be available.

The 25th anniversary celebration of Festival of Flowers coincides with the grand opening of Antler Hill Village. This pedestrian-friendly venue will be open to guests as part of daily admission to Biltmore and expands current offerings to include a new exhibition space, village green with live entertainment, dining, shopping and a new outdoor adventure center. Biltmore Winery, located in the village area, will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary and will be offering a newly-designed tour and tasting room. Antler Hill Village will be open to guests during Festival of Flowers and a grand opening celebration is planned for May 20 – 23, 2010.

Floral decor this year will focus on the iris, fleur de lis and color silver, all symbolic of the 25th anniversary. Tulips – over 100,000 of them – will mark the beginning of the festival greeting visitors at Biltmore's main entrance and continuing to the stunning colors in the Walled Garden. Guests won't want to miss the vibrant colors in the 20-acre azalea garden and cascades of native and exotic blooms in the natural gardens and along walking trails.

The entrance vestibule at Biltmore House will feature a fresh flower carpet design, and in the Entry Hall, six woven commemorative banners will hang, all designed and woven by local company Manual Woodworkers & Weavers. French influences with designs in blues, purples, soft yellow, soft greens, pink, burgundy and red will grace floral arrangements in Biltmore House.

In honor of the winery's 25th anniversary, the conservatory display will take inspiration from Biltmore's wines with elaborate container gardens planted with beautiful colors and scents to represent selections. During the last half of the festival, the Walled Garden's pattern beds will feature a fleur de lis design.

With so much to celebrate, festivities across the estate will include music, tips from Biltmore gardeners and innovative displays. Biltmore Winery will host live music, wine tastings, seminars and children's activities. Seasonal Festival of Flowers wines are crafted each year to mark the occasion. In addition, Biltmore's restaurants will feature special silver anniversary menus, drinks and desserts.

In addition to Biltmore House and Gardens, estate admission includes entry to Biltmore Winery, Antler Hill Village, specialty gift shops and restaurants. Spring is the perfect time to take advantage of Biltmore's unique surroundings by taking part in the Explore Biltmore program. Outdoor activities include hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, carriage rides, Segway tours, a sporting clays program and a Land Rover Driving School. Guests looking for accommodations will enjoy the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate, which provides a variety of packages. For more information or reservations, contact Biltmore at 877.BILTMORE or visit www.biltmore.com.

About Biltmore

Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Biltmore was the vision of George W. Vanderbilt. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, America's largest home is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the Vanderbilt family's original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Biltmore estate encompasses more than 8,000 acres including renowned gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. Today, Biltmore has grown to include the new Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning winery and Antler Hill Farm; the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues and Biltmore For Your Home, the company's licensed products division. To learn more about Biltmore, or book a visit to Biltmore, go to www.biltmore.com or call 877-BILTMORE.

SOURCE Biltmore

Video: Park & Rec. Using Charlotte Energy Solutions' Segways at Latta Plantation

2009-12-21T01:44:00.005-05:00

For more information about Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation's Segway Adventures click here.

Segway x2's & Segway i2's are available from Charlotte Energy Solutions

Park & Rec. Began Offering Tours Using Charlotte Energy Solutions' Segways in 2008

2009-12-20T18:06:00.005-05:00

SEGWAY ADVENTURE TOURS BEGIN IN MARCH TO EXPLORE LATTA PLANTATION NATURE PRESERVE
CharMeck.org, February 29, 2008

Charlotte, NC - Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department introduces Segway Adventure Tours of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, 5226 Sample Road in Huntersville. Segways are battery-powered two-wheel personal transporters with gyroscopic balancing mechanisms and a top speed of 12 miles an hour. They are an ideal way to get around and see the wildlife, natural areas, and trails.

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve is Mecklenburg County's largest natural preserve, totaling more than 1300 acres. Segways are a way for visitors to cover a lot of ground and see many parts of the preserve. Segway Adventure Tours at Latta will include many highlights of the preserve such as Shady Trail, Buzzard Rock Trail, Laura's Trail, and gorgeous views of Mountain Island Lake. These Segway tours are available to only adults (age 18+). In accordance with Segway manufacturer's recommendation, riders must be 100-260 pounds.

Segways and safety helmets will be provided as part of the tours which last about three hours. Each tour includes a 30-45 minute training session on Segways. Test groups have checked routes and training for the past two months and have proclaimed the tours to be great fun. Most participants were surprised how quickly they became comfortable riding a Segway. Trail refreshments are included with each tour. Participants must sign standard waiver.

For more information or to register call 704.875.1391.

Weekend Segway Adventures:

* September - October 1st and 3rd weekends 9 a.m. -12 p.m. and 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.

* November – 1st and 3rd weekends 12 noon – 3 p.m.

* December - January – Private tours available

* February - 1st and 3rd weekends 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Call 704.875.1391 for private tour availability and detailed directions to tour starting point.

Eligibility Requirements

Participants must be at least 18 years of age, weighing at least 100 lbs and not exceeding 260 lbs. You must be in good physical condition, able to stand for extended periods of time; you must be capable of walking up a flight of stairs unassisted and without a handrail, not suffering from any physical ailment or condition which would in any way inhibit your ability to ride a Segway; be aware that this Segway tour is not recommended for women who are pregnant. Please wear closed-toed shoes (i.e. NO sandals, Flip Flops or Crocs). Please come prepared to sign a Liability Waiver and Release. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of your tour.

For more info see Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation Segway Adventures website.

Segway x2's & Segway i2's are available from Charlotte Energy Solutions

CMPD Began Using Charlotte Energy Solutions' Segways in July 2007

2009-12-20T12:24:00.002-05:00

CMPD Adds Segways To Vehicle Fleet
CharMeck.org, July 2, 2007

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department recently purchased 10 Segway® Personal Transporters (PT) for use throughout the Department. We will begin using them on July 4th as part of the patrol and crowd control functions.

The Segway PT is raised eight inches off the ground, placing an officer a clear head above the crowd. This allows the officer to be seen and have superior sight lines for traffic management, crowd control, and community policing. The Segway PT moves an officer, smoothly and quietly, at 2-3 times walking speed. It can easily double the amount of area a walking officer can cover, and can transition immediately from walking speed (3 mph) to sprinting speed (12.5 mph) when an officer needs to get somewhere fast without causing alarm.

The CMPD will use the Segway PT to patrol streets and parking lots throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg. It will be used to patrol large crowd gatherings and in areas where police patrol vehicles have difficulty maneuvering, including high traffic areas, city and county parks, park greenways and transit locations. The vehicles will also be used in large buildings and facilities to improve officer response to emergency situations.

The CMPD paid for the vehicles with asset forfeiture funds and received a discounted price of $5,500.00 each. The vehicles sell for $6,400 retail.

Segway x2's & Segway i2's are available from Charlotte Energy Solutions

The Segway i2 available in Charlotte, NC

2009-12-19T14:47:00.004-05:00

The Segway PT i2 offers you the best solution to move effortlessly indoor or out.

Completely versatile and consistently enjoyable, the i2 is ideal in more ways than one. Not only does it take you out of rush-hour traffic and away from congested parking lots, it's battery operated, totally wireless, and intuitively moves where your body tells it to.

The perfect synthesis of form, function and fun, the i2 lets you glide through your daily commute or zip from errand to errand without worrying about parking. The i2 can take you 24 miles/38 km or up to 480 city blocks on a single charge*, powering itself smoothly up and down stairs and curbs, and keeping you in control as it handles steep grades. Need to use more than one form of transportation? The versatile i2 can be easily stowed in the trunk of a car or carried onto many modes of public transit with permission. It's only fair to warn you, though: life on an i2 is highly addictive. Once you've experienced it, you'll find yourself constantly looking for opportunities to sail along the sidewalks.

The Newest Innovation to hit Segway is the LeanSteer technology.

The LeanSteer Frame and Handle bar tilt left and right in response to your body's natural inclination to lean into the direction you want to travel. The Segway PT seems to anticipate your every move and Adjusts to your slightest whim.

Another change that you can see in Segway Technology is InfoKey Controller. It Starts your Segway, Lets you know what's going on, Battery life, speed, and system performance, its also an alarm device! Each key is programmed to lock a specific Segway PT, and it slips right into your pocket, around your wrist, or mounts on the Segway PT.

The Segway PT, has a pair of Saphion Lithium Ion Batteries, that will travel up to 24 miles on a single charge, and can handle extreme temperature as low as 14 F / 10 C. There are also a number of different packages available to fit your needs. Contact us for more information on these packages.

i2 Specs:
• Weight: 105 lbs/47.7 kg
• TireDiameter: 19in/48cm
• Footprint: 19 x 25 in/48 x 63 cm
• Max Speed: 12.5 mph/20 kmh
• Range: Up to 24 mi/Up to 38 km

i2 at a Glance
• Wireless InfoKeyTM controller
• Saphion® lithium-ion batteries
• Your choice of gloss white, durable anodized black, or newly minted metallic sage
• LeanSteerTM frame height adjust

For more information and to purchase a Segway i2 visit:
Charlotte Energy Solutions Segway i2 web page

The Segway x2 available in Charlotte, NC

2009-12-19T14:28:00.004-05:00

Enjoy the North Carolina mountains to the Carolina Coast with the Segway x2. It's rugged, tough, and designed to take you places.

With the x2, you can chart your own course. Its innovative design moves you over a variety of NC terrain, be it the grass in your backyard or the gravel and dirt in your favorite off road spot. Deeply treaded tires, scratch resistant fenders and higher ground clearance give you a smooth, stable ride, and the durability you've come to expect from Segway, and with the unmatched performance of Segway's leanSteer technology, your body will anticipate and conquer the trail ahead.

x2 Specs:
• Weight: 120 lbs/54.4 kg
• Tire Width: 8in/20cm
• Footprint: 21x33in/53.34x83.82cm
• Max Speed: 12.5 mph/20 kmh
• Range: Up to 12 mi/19km off-pavement

x2 At a Glance:
• Wireless InfoKeyTM controller
• Rugged fender frames double as lift handles, making transportation into or out of a vehicle quick and easy; frames also accommodate cargo accessories
• Saphion® lithium-ion batteries
• Deeply treaded, all-te rrain tires navigate a variety of landscapes with ease

For more information and to purchase a Segway x2 visit:
Charlotte Energy Solutions Segway x2 web page

Video: Charlotte Energy Solutions Segways in use

2009-12-19T14:11:00.000-05:00

Segway i2's & Segway x2's available from Charlotte Energy Solutions