There are objects that have the power to bring with them an immediate perception of modernity. Things that when you see them you are there and say to yourself "it seems like it comes from the future". It is the effect that, say, the sight of the first iPhone or the first Segway had on many.
It is no coincidence that they are the result of two visionary geniuses, Steve Jobs e Dean Kamen. Today Segway-Nine bot is a personal transportation company with other owners, but continues to move forward. At the upcoming CES2020 it will present the S-Pod, a “safe, self-balancing vehicle” that looks like a cross between a large stroller, a Jurassic World gyrosphere, and a pod from the movie Wall-E.
The new vehicle is intended for use in “closed campuses, airports, theme parks and shopping malls,” according to a company press release.
It seems like a godsend for people who have difficulty moving, as well as for those of us who are too lazy to move.
S-Pod is a wheelchair that goes beyond disability, aimed at all adults, and which in Segway's intentions will "change the rules" of personal transport.
S-Pod features
A navigation panel controls the vehicle's movements. The speed is adjusted via a knob, which also changes the S-Pod's center of gravity. “The rider does not need to physically lean forward and backward to accelerate or slow down,” Segway says.
The maximum speed of S-Pod is limited to 40km per hour: a function that also has the aim of keeping occupants safe and avoiding overturning in the sharpest bends. The autonomy before a recharge is quite generous: 64 kilometers, more than enough for travel in an urban area.
What else is missing? Oh yes. “The S-Pod seating also offers wide-angle views that provide a wide field of vision for passengers”, concludes the press release.
The S-Pod will debut at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show next Tuesday, January 6, along with other new Segway products, including an eMoped (a small electric bike) and an eScooter suitable for medium- to long-distance trips.
