Forward-leaning in balance mode??

[David]

I experienced something a little weird the other day, and I was wondering if it was a freak occurence or if any of you have seen the same thing. I was in Central Park going up a rather steep hill (I didn't have an inclinometer handy, but it was probably pretty close to the 20% recommended max grade.) While the Seg went up without much of a problem, and even kept its happy face on, I noticed that the platform not only tilted forward enough to keep me vertical, but actually went beyond that such that I had the distinct feeling of leaning over-forward, that is, much closer to parallel to the ground. What was strange, however, was the the unit was still running, was still in balance mode, and was giving no error indications. It was rather disconcerting. Since then, I thought I might have felt something somewhat similar once or twice during regular riding, but that might be my overactive imagination. Comments?

-David

[toybuilder]

Hmmm. I once thought, for a brief moment, that the stick was tilted too far forward while the Segway was in balanced mode -- I had just completed a "get off the HT and climb the curb" maneuver. I didn't have the presence of mind to stop and check, and I think I ended up popping it into power assist and back into balance mode where it then operated normally... But it just happened so quickly (I was more focused on getting where I was going) that by the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to determine whether it was truly a platform-not-level condition or if I just imagined it.

http://www.pasadenasegway.org/
A bicycle in 1897 cost $25 ($2,200 today adjusted for inflation).
A Ford Model-T cost $850 in 1908 ($75,000 today adjusted for inflation).

[GlideMaster]

"Inclines/Declines
The Segway HT has the capability to climb and descend hills. When climbing hills, you may feel like the handlebar has moved forward - this is normal."

Per The Book Of Seg
(The Basic Rider Optimization Training Participant Workbook)

<center>The GlideMaster</center>
<center>http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete/1267/gif/segway.gif</center>
<center>If You’re Not Graceful In Your Glide, You Must Just Be Out For A Ride. </center>
<center>Responsible Riders Ride Segway and Segway Riders Ride Responsibly</center>
<center>Glide On</center>

[TedS]

I have felt that sensation, too. What I am learning is to trust the machine. If the face is happy, I'm happy. We just keep going.

Going down a steep grade is somewhat the same. The feeling that you lean too far back.

Ted

[stevew]

This was mentioned before, but your brain/vision system tends to "level out" a steady slope, so you really feel tilted over but are actually pretty close to vertical -- kind of like those 'mystery spots' where everything is built on an angle and water seems to flow uphill, etc.
On a steep hill with the HT you end up trusting the balance system, if you are stationary, you must be more or less vertical, even if it looks/feels like you're leaning way forward.

[Peter iNova]

You're not dreaming, it's just physics.

As you roll up a slope, the contact point of the slope with the wheel under you moves forward to the point tangent to that circle (wheel) under your feet. At 20 degrees of slope, the contact point is more than an inch forward of the balance point of a wheel on level ground. In other words, the point of contact with the ground is now 20 degrees around the circle from straight down, forward of where it connects when you are level. So your body must move forward enough to put its own cg above the contact point.

On level ground, if you put your feet a full inch back of where they normally rest on the mat, you would have to lean forward quite a bit to compensate. Same thing in both cases.

-iNova

http://www.glidewalk.com

[RWC]

20 degrees is VERY STEEP, surprisingly so... Just for your own sense of slope you may want to measure it sometime.

The STEEPEST hills in San Francisco have been measured at about 17 degrees and these had sidewalks that had to be stair-stepped as they were too steep to walk comfortably/safely.

Take care, R.

"The best way to control your cow or sheep is to give them a large spacious meadow... and a Segway with all terrain tires" - Suzuki Ralphi

[David]

Aha! Glad to know that I wasn't imagining it; that it was normal; and that now I understand (thanks for the physics lesson) what was happening!

-David