The best ideas are borrowed from others
February 20, 2012
Those Segway “human transporters” are more than just a fun way to play tourist in a new city. Developed as an efficient mode of transportation for individuals, they're kind of a flop, hamstrung by local laws that prohibit them on sidewalks in places like Boston where there aren't enough bike paths to make the $5,000 purchase worthwhile.
But Segways are used by mall cops and segments of the military as highly functional, maneuverable ways to patrol and to move equipment. In fact, the company, based in Bedford, NH, has developed a remote-controlled version of its machine to assist the military in bomb sniffing and cargo transportation. They're also handy as “realistic” targets for sharpshooting practice.
This tiny vehicle was created on the Segway platform in part by GM.
It's just one of the technological developments that have been helped along by the recent wars in the Mideast. Fund the military and that money trickles down to university researchers to continue ground-breaking inventions. Robotics that are used in prosthetic limbs are another example, with this MIT professor benefiting from the sad toll of roadside bombs.
It would be interesting to find out where the inspiration for this four-legged “Squad Support System” cargo transporter came from. Star Wars? Yes, it's really under development, although it could be mistaken for a spoof. And, isn't it interesting that it borrows both from robotic technology and nature?
Others have taken the platform, or borrowed aspects of the technology, and created their own innovations. The Segway platform was used for this tiny vehicle that may be preferable for handicapped to get around, or for folks in tight urban spaces. It was developed in part by General Motors.
These inventors are working on a contact lens (remember when that was new technology?) and figuring out how to project images onto it, like a computer screen. It's similar to what pilots of the most advanced military aircraft use. Imagine surgeons using these contact lenses to monitor a patient's vital signs during intricate procedures.
One of the next technological breakthroughs could be an “invisibility cloak” a la Harry Potter. Seriously. Imagine that being adopted by the consumer market – like kids who don't want to adhere to their curfews.
