“GINGER” AND THE HORSE

The horse is a creation of God. “Ginger”, “IT” or Segway is the name given to a new wonder “scooter.” This is the idea of multimillionaire inventor Dean Kamen, a mortal man.

The world of transportation inventions is full of small steps that imitate the innate mobility found in nature. On the one hand we have always connected the horse and buggy demise to the motorcar. On the other can we compare this movable “Ginger” platform scooter performance to that of the horse?

“Ginger” is an enhancement to personal mobility that will allow people to make better use of their time," suggests Dean Kamen. "Ultimately, “Ginger” can make urban environments more livable by [easing] “a long walk in less time.”

The two-wheeled scooter, officially dubbed as the “world's first dynamic self-balancing human transporter," is stabilized by a series of gyroscopes that with an onboard computer essentially imitates the mobility workings of the human body.

Because “riding” according to inventor Dean Kamen “Ginger” is intuitive as moving forward is accomplished by leaning slightly forward on the scooter's platform. Built to travel at speeds up to 12 mph, “Ginger” has a range of about 15 miles from a single six-hour battery charge, Dean Kamen said. The scooters will eventually sell for about $3,000.

Now lets examine the horse. Finding the center of gravity seated in the saddle riding with the slightest of body movements transferred through the seat and hands can move the horse forward, backward as well as bringing it to a skidding stop in an emergency. With practice the horse can turn in a small circle to the left and right. Surprisingly it out performs “Ginger” in many ways. The horse can move diagonally to the left and right. It can bounce on the same footprint or in a forward movement. It can also jump over things and hop forward on its rear legs! Oops, this is an unfair comparison because the horse is a quadruped and “Ginger” has only two wheels. It would however be fair to say that much of these movements by a good horseman can also be achieved with “no hands!”

The horse can easily compete better against “Ginger” in terms of speed and range of miles and possibly even a lower purchase price. What about challenging the differences in horsepower? Wouldn’t it be revealing to compare the energy efficiency input of the horse to see what equivalent incremental improvement might be found in the performance achieved by the mechanical “Ginger?” How many flakes of hay, with a coffee can of grain and water consumption per day for the horse would equal a single six-hour battery charge in terms of cost?

Where Ginger has it all over the horse would probably be the maintenance factor. Horse feed requirements, stall dimensions cleaning and shoeing are probably higher than worn out tire treads broken scooter handles or other technical feature breakdown replacement costs per year. The infrastructure pathways required for the all terrain features of Ginger are however far more costly to maintain even although pathways require a little more width than old or new horse trails. In fact the horse is far superior one would venture to say on all inclines and terrain in the way of overall performance characteristics.

During the "Good Morning America" show a comment was made; "It's amazing the way “Ginger” zooms around without tipping over.” Remember how many stories suggested that horses carried their drunken owners back home safely after a party? One should insist that Ginger be programmed to do the same so that no DUI could be levied to a Ginger rider! It is difficult to imagine how to strap a person onto “Ginger” with an activated homing devise.

The most intriguing Ginger feature that has cost Dean Kamen the inventor over $100 Million in development costs is the interface of computer with gyroscopes. Imagine the horse and rider has these features built–in at no cost. Now one must note these two items are the most important part of this invention for the future of our mobility. “Ginger” has some characteristics of the horse, but has a long way to go to engage safely or emulate the constant contact between horse and rider. The rider-horse relationship is far more agreeable and compatible for mobility.

Ginger as a mechanical devise still needs to advance the association of movement with a rider in a straddled seat position. This posture more fully coordinates human inclinations of directional leanings when engaged with an object moving in the variety of normal upright activities. “Ginger” under human feet is not as desirable or as safe as the butt being the center of human gravity a leather thickness away from the control of power between the legs.

If Dean Kamen thinks it's the beginning of a huge transformation in transportation in this country, one can not understand why Dean Kamen’s "Independence 3000 IBot Transporter," is not nurtured as the mobility improvement for people's lives. This is another way to seriously challenge future mobility change for our urban environment. Maybe it’s three wheels in the long term that will transform the cities of the future!

One must point out that there is already a seamless American infrastructure path arranged for this difficult to define "Independence 3000 IBot Transporter," – the hopefully “to be improved” wheel chair. Why one can use this devise to cross roads to access pedestrian sidewalks, to ramps, through doors, into buildings, to elevators, to cars, vans and recreational vehicles, to buses, to trains, to aircrafts – almost internationally. Now is this not the way of getting closer to a true future multi-modal transportation interface for people?

One might conjecture another path for a better Dean Kamen invention advance. Maybe it should be redirected to a low profile “three wheeled chair” introduction as a better invention for acceptance into the consumer marketplace.

If this path is not taken one wishes Dean Kamen to know that with the same $100 million he would be able to own all the top level dressage horses in the world thus casting a total competitive monopoly on the next World Olympic Games. I know a lot of horseman who would be eternally grateful to be able to ride any one of these top class horses.

Probably the most exciting experience for Dean Kamen would be to ride a “high school horse.” He would find the organic connection, an essential ingredient of the bond between horse and man in motion together. This has existed for thousands of years and was discovered when man got off his feet to get around on a horse thus covering more distance in his domain of travel and adventure. All this achieved at a pace far faster than just a walk.

“Ginger” has a long way to go to emulate a horse and rider. God gave us an excellent design to ride.

BY Graham Kaye-Eddie – Master Urban Designer.

Makabusi Inc. – Bakersfield – California

Email – makabusi@pacbell.net

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