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In the neverending quest to avoid real work, I got to pondering how to make a cheap electric snowshovel - snowthrowers are too complex and scary with their rotating blades - this evolved into a 2-wheeled design with an extension cord, then I realized you would have to stand on it to get enough weight
for traction, so....
Segway Centaur
http://www.youtube....watch?v=H5ntCYYc7lw
[Wily Peyote, Dec 19 2008]
[link]
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//When you lean forward your weight propels you forward,//
I gave up physics at age 18. Please explain. |
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AbsintheWithoutLeave: the Segway's wheels aren't powered ... when you lean forward (or backward) it wants to fall - but it can't because of the gyroscopes in the base (the only thing powered) - so it just moves forward. That's the amazing thing about the Segway: it's just a controlled fall stopped by gyroscopes. |
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[WP] please to look up a bit of basic physics: "precession" or at least read up on the Segway. |
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Stopped by gyroscopes... which trigger motors to turn the wheels and pull the base of the segway back under the falling human body. |
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If you wanted the segway to torque really hard, the shovel would have to provide a downward force when scooping so the segway could respond with a decent push. Either that or you would have to lean reaaaaly far over, but then the instant the wheels slip on the ice you'll fall face first into the snow. |
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[+] Surely with sufficiently large wheels (perhaps with
studs on them) slippage wouldn't happen. |
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