[Petter] built himself a DIY Segway out of a couple of cheap electric scooters. We’ve seen a couple of very nice Segway builds in the past like the all analog Segway, or the creepy walking version, [Petter]’s Segway build seems like it would be a useful human transport device.
The motors, chains, gears, and wheels are scavenged from a pair of electric scooters. Steering left and right is accomplished by tilting the handlebars left and right. The handlebars themselves are attached to the joint at a base that allows them to be taken on and off. We’re thinking this would be great for throwing a [Petter]’s Segway in the trunk of a car – a design feature the original Segway doesn’t have.
The electronics of the project are based around an ATMega168 that reads data from an accelerometer and gyroscope. The motors are controlled by two H-bridges and are powered by two 12 V lead batteries wired in series. We’re not sure how long the batteries will last in a real-world situation, but [Petter]’s build seems to go fast enough.
Check out the demo video below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBOQ6RMk6aw&w=470]
Cool that it is finally finished. :-)
Done anything with your VFD tubes yet Mathias?
We miss you at CRF!
This is really great- the guy is talented. We are always looking for discount quality scooters. I think he is on to something here!
Nice build. Because of all they hype the proceeded the introduction of the Segway, I can’t get to excited of the Segway, and Segway knock offs. They aren’t suitable for either operation on busy roadways,or busy pedestrian paths, not they don’t have their niche, but the hype promised a revolution in the way we travel.
next he should build in a rc or robot mode where you take off the handlebars and just have it zip arround by its self idk why I just think that would be cool. Its funny how the segway was susposed to be the next big thing and everything and this guy just built one in his basement out of some scooter parts, a microcontroler, and a handfull of electronic components.
Cool, you are featured on hackaday!
Congrats P1R! Also your segway rocks!
Awesome video, nice build !
Looks rock solid, and the instructions and thoughts are well explained. Nice video there also!
Ordentligt snyggt. Vilken maskinverkstad använder du? X-P? Kod + kopplingschema skulle vara kul!
English translation: Nice. Code?
wow that’s just great! and the video is also very good.
Wow. I like it. I see Segways all the time here in Atlanta; there is a tour company that does Segway tours of downtown/midtown areas.
I think this one looks much better than the commercial product. Of course, I am more partial to the aluminum color than the all matte black of the Segway.
As several have observed, this raises a lot of questions about the original Segway.
2-wheeled balancing robots have been around a long time, (2-wheeled) scooters even longer. There are a number of examples of one-off devices like [petter] has built, mostly performing well although less sophisticated cosmetically, yet Segways cost 000’s of dollars and no one else is allowed to build similar devices commercially.
Is this just more nonsense from the US patent office? Or am I missing something?
It kind of reminds me of Dyson vacuum cleaners, which cost a packet and only seemed to offer the actual advantages of being able to see the dirt, and not having a filter. Except they did have a filter once it emerged that the early ones made some allergies worse because of the biological nasties that got through the cyclonic filters. In the UK you still see perfectly working Dysons in skips with blocked biological filters that the owners didn’t realise were there, therefore dumped them.
I think it’s very important that innovators get the chance to cash in on their inventions if they choose to, it’s just that some inventions don’t seem all that inventive…
s/filter/blockable filter
I agree with bacchus about the US patent office. Take the Dyson machines, “cyclonic” filtering has been going on for over 100 years, just go look at any old furniture factory.
Other patents I have looked at are not even correct. An idea I was looking at had been patented, except it listed IR as being transmitted over wires.
I think this is where “open source” could come in handy, put together a “base” kit for a segway knock off. Some assy required.
Nice work Peter you finished it :) Nice product and nice video :) congrats :)
Accidentally forgot one letter of course I meant Petter and not Peter
Nice video you made P1R!
Would have been infinitely cooler w/o the handle bars. Still though, very cool.
Recycling has been a common practice for most of human history, with recorded advocates as far back as Plato in 400 BC.
hi, i want to build such a segway for my project, can u please give the circuit design & other mechanical design requirements for the design.it will be really grateful for u to do such a favour. thank you.
I was wondering what you use to control the steering? Some sort of pot I suppose. Do you have a link or model that I could have to use for my DIY segway clone? Thanks!