Basic Rider Optimization Training for the Segway
HT
Page 23 of 106
Instructor Guide and Participant Workbook
Rev 3.5i - January 2004
© Segway LLC 2002
P/N 1707100001aa
Humans are unique because they
balance dynamically. In order for a
human to stay balanced while moving,
she has to keep her center of gravity,
which is high over her base (contact
patch), which is narrow.
The
contact patch
on
the Segway HT is the
part of the wheel that is
in contact with the riding
surface (i.e., ground,
rug, pavement, slope).
The Segway HT has no throttle or brake
controls, and responds to your every
move as if it were an extension of your
body. As you lean forward, the Segway
HT detects this and drives the wheels
as needed to keep you upright while
moving forward.
Stand up straight (center of gravity over
the contact patch), and the Segway HT
slows to a stop. Once stopped, leaning
back also allows you to move
backwards.
The Segway HT can balance in place,
allowing you to stand motionless by
detecting minute changes in balance
and instantly responding. There is no
need to step off the Segway HT when
stopped.
When commanded, the Segway HT can
rotate one wheel forward and one
backward, turning in place.
The basic notion of dynamic stabilization is that the wheels produce torque when the Platform is
not
level. If the Platform is tipped forward, the wheels drive forward. If it is tipped back, the wheels drive
back. During normal operation, this has the effect of keeping the Platform level. The tilting of the
Platform is transient – on average, the Platform stays level.