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....
-- FlyingToaster, Dec 19 2008

Segway Centaur http://www.youtube....watch?v=H5ntCYYc7lw
[Wily Peyote, Dec 19 2008]

You know.....yeah [+]
-- Noexit, Dec 19 2008


//When you lean forward your weight propels you forward,//
I gave up physics at age 18. Please explain.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Dec 19 2008


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.
-- Wily Peyote, Dec 20 2008


[WP] please to look up a bit of basic physics: "precession" or at least read up on the Segway.
-- FlyingToaster, Dec 20 2008


Stopped by gyroscopes... which trigger motors to turn the wheels and pull the base of the segway back under the falling human body.

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.
-- mylodon, Dec 20 2008


[+] Surely with sufficiently large wheels (perhaps with studs on them) slippage wouldn't happen.
-- goldbb, Jan 08 2014



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