Self-balancing Transport Is Arduino-controlled

[Nick Thatcher] has built several iterations of a homebrew Segway, and the latest version is very impressive. When developing the project he figured there was just no way the thing would ever work, which led to its name, the No-way.

After the break you can catch a video of [Nick’s] test-ride. Looks like the two-wheeler is ready for daily use. You can just make out a red kill-switch on the right side of the polycarbonate body. This lets you disconnect the power if things get out of hand, or just when you’re done riding it. But there is also a dead-man’s switch which we believe uses two sensors where your feet go on the enclosure’s top surface. The handle has some indicator lights built into it, as well as buttons under each thumb which are used for steering. Control circuitry includes an Arduino UNO which reads a gyroscope/accelerometer sensor board from SparkFun. Two 7.2 Ah batteries provide 24V for the pair of electric scooter motors that turn the wheel-barrow wheels.

We love looking at these Segway clone project. So if you’re working on one of your own don’t forget to document your progress!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4ax3N0UW38&w=470]

24 thoughts on “Self-balancing Transport Is Arduino-controlled

    1. Turbot is a loser. This is a cool project. Turboy probably just figured out the advanced features on his game boy. Like the off button The dude in the video buildsa Segway clone. Compare.

  1. Awesome quality hobby time to make such projects..

    Would be cool and fun to do some race with this build-your-own segways. Im curious how fast you can go and still have a propriate handling and balance.

    1. that could just be the greatest idea for electrical “motorsport” i have seen.

      tight curves and 4 on the track, throw in a few minor obstacles and it would be brilliant.
      both from an engineering and enjoyment standpoint.

      maybe its possible to tilt the wheels sideways as one is taking curves at high speeds, would probably be hard to make light and strong enough.

  2. hi, i done most of the step to built my own segway but i realy need find best way of handlebar …
    what kind of mounted bearing he did use ..did you use potentiometer or encoder …and is any ebay shop i can by this hanlebar and the mounted bearing

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