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There currently exist a few "robotic" motorcycles ... two wheeled vehicles that can balance (and steer) themselves while driving forward, using little more than a roll angle sensor, a roll speed sensor, and an actuator to turn the front wheel.
Suppose that you add to this, a (comfortable) seat similar
to an automobile seat, accelerator and brake pedals, and a steering wheel.
When the rider, or rather driver, turns his steering wheel to the right, the vehicle's front wheel briefly turns a bit to the left.
This causes the vehicle to lean to the right, after which the computerized balancing algorithm turns the vehicle's front wheel right to keep the vehicle from falling down.
When the vehicle is leaning right, and the front wheel is turned to the right (keeping the vehicle in balance), the result is that the vehicle turns to the right.
So basically, although the driver directs the vehicle as if it were a car, the computer handles the actual steering, and steers (and balances) as one would a motorcycle.
Segways are *so* yesterday
http://news.bbc.co....hnology/8272485.stm
[coprocephalous, Sep 29 2009]
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so...a 2 wheeled gyro-balanced car then [+] and stop reading my mind. |
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You'll want two (smaller I guess) lateral wheels to extend during low speed operation and while stopped/parked. |
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The problem with this is that it would remove the main advantages of a car over a motorbike (stability, large amounts of storage) whilst also removing the most enjoyable and challenging part of riding a motorbike (the cornering and balancing of the machine). |
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Bars provide more leverage and feel than a steering wheel and are thus more suited to the subtle steering inputs you make on a bike. |
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Lastly "cyborg" is a bit of a reach for the title - you're not proposing a human being augmented with motorcycle bits. |
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Sorry for the negativity, I do agree the idea would be cool in its own way, but there are problems. |
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So... the Segway in a cooler wheel-configuration? |
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What do you mean about bars providing leverage and feel? |
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Sorry if I wasn't more clear, but I'm not suggesting the steering wheel be mechanically hooked to the front wheel... it's just an input to the computer, which in turn moves the vehicle's front wheel. Any "feel" necessary can be provided through haptics. |
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This allows the driver to steer in a way that's intuitive for someone who has never driven a motorcycle, without worrying about the mechanics of how it's balanced. |
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That's why, in this idea, if the driver wants to turn the vehicle to the right, he turns his steering wheel to the right, just as if he were in a car. (The left-turning of the vehicle's front wheel is done by the computer). |
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That's also how the driver can sit in a car-like seat, with little ability (and no need) to shift his weight to help balance the vehicle -- the computer automatically does all of the balancing by means of steering. |
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The hoped-for result is a vehicle that handles similar to a Naro leaning car, but with only two wheels, and without the (fancy, expensive) hydraulics. |
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So take the 1918 Ner-a-Car, add a bunch of electronics to replace the simple steering linkage and PRESTO! you have a modern version of a tried and tested old design, with added propensity for undiagnosable and lethal faults. |
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The two wheeled vehicle design is inherently stable in motion and does not require the rider to shift their weight or actively balance the machine. |
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