Commute got you down? Introducing the DIY Segway
Boring commute and a weekend to spend in the shop? Try your hand at building your own self-balancing Segway.
Or, if you aren’t exactly Dean Kamen, try this slightly scaled down version built, along with a couple LEGO motors, on the open-source Arduino platform. Using relatively simple programming techniques, a huge community of enthusiasts, and a generous selection of tutorials and info, this little guy—dubbed “Arduway”—is one of the community’s newest creations.
Feeling ambitious? Check out these projects from the guys at MIT and the University of Minnesota.
MIT set out to build their Segway clone for less than $1,000 and to weigh around 50 lbs. They ended up with a finished product that is functionally identical to a genuine Segway and even includes cupholders!
The Segway folks are even billing the real thing, which comes in around $5,000, as the green alternative to fuel-powered automobiles (segway.com/nogas), citing the fractional cost of ownership and maintenance compared to cars.
Finally, if your DIY juices are really flowing, channel visions of Marty McFly as you take a look at Minnesota’s Segskate project—described simply as, “like Segway but it is a skateboard.” The video speaks for itself.
