Silicon Sensing gyro technology at the heart of the Segway PT

The Segway PT is instantly recognisable across the world as a unique and alternative means of transport. Its press launch in December 2001 attracted enormous attention. But, by the time of its launch, Silicon Sensing had been working with the inventor of the Segway PT – Dean Kamen – for several years helping to develop and deliver its key design element – the balancing technology. This close relationship stemmed from our role in providing the balancing gyros for the IBOT®, the equally novel balancing wheelchair, from the same inventor.

Technically speaking, the Segway design is classic implementation of the 'inverted pendulum control theory' – balancing a broomstick on your fingertip is another example of the same thing. But to enable an automatically-balancing system based on this theory demands the availability of sensing, processing and actuation, all of which are fast and accurate enough. And for a commercially-viable product to emerge, this further demands the availability of these technologies at affordable prices, with sufficient robustness and reliability, and being of a suitable size. The overall system concept demanded that the Segway PT could always continue to balance if a component fails, whilst providing alarms and reversionary action to ensure that the rider is able to dismount safely.

Being involved from the very early days, Silicon Sensing were able to propose and develop an innovative design, to be called the Balance Sensor Assembly, in which the size, reliability and affordability criteria were met through use of our VSG3-based silicon MEMS gyro technology.

To read more about the technology and learn about Silicon Sensing Systems' ingenious sensor solutions click on the Product Details web link on the right