Transporter, Personal

Object Name:

Transporter, Personal

Object ID:

2008.015

Place of Origin:

Manchester, NH

Date:

1999

Description:

Segway Personal Transporter, Concept #1 (C1), pre-production prototype, 1999. Invented by Dean Kamen. Developed by DEKA Research and Development Corp., Manchester, NH. Non-operational. Aluminum deck (chassis), 17" wide x 15" deep, with two black rubber foot pads wired to column. Aluminum wheels with gray rubber pneumatic tires, 16" diam. [tires replaced in 2015]. Adjustable steel column supporting steel handlebars. Two black rubber handle grips with molded lettering, "BOBKE'S PRAYER STIX". Control knob on right handlebar. Aluminum column support with applied black vinyl letters, "C1 / 2". White plastic control box at bottom of column, with eight toggle switches and five red lights. Red nylon cord from handlebar to "kill switch" on front of column support. Switch is covered with red rubber cap, to which cord is attached. Top end of cord is attached to black nylon strap on handlebar.

Material:

Metal
Aluminum
Steel
Rubber
Plastic

Dimensions:

H-41.5 W-22.25 D-18 inches

Provenance:

Developed in part by engineers John David Heinzmann and his brother Kurt Heinzmann, members of the team led by Dean Kamen. The Heinzmann brothers arranged for the C1 to be prepared and delivered to NHHS, and they officially presented it to NHHS at its annual meeting on May 3, 2008.

Credit Line:

Gift of Dean L. Kamen

People:

Kamen, Dean

Subjects:

Inventions, Inventors