Unveiled, 'IT' must live up to a year of hype

Almost a year ago, the first report appeared on the Internet: Dean Kamen, the eccentric inventor who founded the multimillion-dollar product-design group DEKA, had come up with a new invention that was going to change the world. The Internet world soon became consumed with speculation about the mystery creation first referred to simply as "IT" and later by Kamen's own codename, "Ginger." Rumors described Ginger as more important than the automobile and more groundbreaking than the Internet.

COURTESY SEGWAY.COM A young woman mounts the Segway Human Transporter.

On Mon., Dec. 3, Kamen revealed that Ginger—now officially dubbed "Segway"—is a "human transporter." To the cynical eye, the groundbreaking invention seems much like a glorified motorized scooter: it can travel at speeds up to 12.5 miles per hour, move over rough terrain, and—thanks to a highly-tuned internal gyroscopic instrument—anticipate where its rider wants to go.

Kamen's announcement was met with something of a frenzy. Articles describing Segway were splashed across newspapers, television, and the Internet—rare coverage for a product just entering the marketplace.

Of course, Segway would not have generated so much attention if it had not been surrounded by such hype.

When Ginger was first created under a shroud of secrecy, only a few top investors had a chance to see it, all of whom signed agreements not to reveal any information about the mysterious invention. Many did, however, make enormously enthusiastic public statements about it.

Vernon Loucks, BR '57, a former member of the Yale Corporation, was one of the early investors to see Ginger. Upon first encountering the machine, he was extremely positive. "Dean [Kamen] is the brightest guy I've ever met in this business, bar none," Loucks told the press at the time.

Another investor, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs, reportedly said that the invention was more important than the personal computer.

But now that the groundbreaking Ginger has been revealed as the intriguing Segway, can it possibly live up to the hype? Glenn Weston-Murphy, who teaches classes on engineering and product design at Yale, doubts it. He speculated that the excitement surrounding Segway "is a direct result of the masterful campaign that Dean Kamen and his team have orchestrated."

Weston-Murphy believes that Segway has its place, however. "I do think that it does have some potentially useful applications like the commercial ones Kamen is currently promoting—postal workers, police, industrial plants and distribution facilities," he said.

Robert Apfel, a professor of mechanical engineering at Yale, is also unsure what effect that Segway will ultimately have. But he does believe that Segway has "a lot of cool aspects to it, and it represents a novel approach to personal transport in local situations." He also points out that the company's release of the product in specialized situations will likely "give time for the idea to build some momentum and encourage some early adopters."

Indeed, Segway will not be available to the ordinary consumer until late 2002. The U.S. Postal Service, several large corporations, and the city of Atlanta will begin testing the product in the near future.

Nonetheless, Segway's marketers are making every effort not to let the frenzy surrounding the machine die down.

A promotional feature on Segway's website allows people to map distances and see the time they could save by using Segway instead of walking. This interactive feature calculates the one-mile from Old Campus to Union Station as a 20-minute walk, but as only a five-minute ride on Segway. Branford to Shaw's? The 16-minute walk takes only 3 minutes on Segway.

Of course, Segway has its problems. At 80 pounds, it will be too heavy for the average user to carry with ease. And despite Segway's ability to fold to a more compact size, pictures show that even in folded form, it takes up nearly the entire trunk of a full-sized SUV. Price may be another issue. It is unclear whether consumers will be willing to pay a few thousand dollars for a machine that goes no faster than 12.5 miles per hour. Will the "human transporter" catch on where motorized bikes and scooters have not?

Curious Yalies may not have to wait long to learn the answers to these questions. John Morrell, a Yale mechanical engineering graduate, was one of the principal developers of Segway. He has been invited to describe (and, Apfel hopes, to demonstrate) the machine early next semester.

Ultimately, Weston-Murphy and Apfel both had positive reactions Segway's unveiling. "It gives a lot of visibility to technology and engineering in a positive, exciting light," Weston-Murphy said. "That may motivate more students into the field." Apfel had a more personal reaction: "I know I want one," he said.

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