A Segway to the Simply Amazing!

 

 

 

"Those who stand still in an evolving world are really going in reverse"

 

"It is going to change the world as we know it!" Who can't forget all the hype and hyperbole when in December 2001, inventor Dean Kamen introduced the Segway on Good Morning America.  An odd looking device, it was going to revolutionize the way humans got around.
Its full name is the "Segway Human Transporter" and it uses five gyroscopes and a built-in computer to remain upright. Not really a speed demon, the first of class could travel at 12 mph and could go 15 miles on one battery charge. The technology really is quite impressive. The Dynamic Stabilization allows a Segway self-balancing emulation to work in tandem with the user's movements. What I found fascinating is the gyroscopes and tilt sensors can monitor a user's center of gravity about 100 times a second. So how has the Segway done so far? Not well. For most of us, seeing a Segway is a common as seeing a UFO.

However, the inventor (Dean Kamen) is a true American visionary. He is already on to the next "big thing" and it is a whopper. One of the biggest problem which faces mankind today is lack of potable water. We can send all the pre-packaged food as possible to developing countries, but if they do not have safe, drinkable water, it does no good. Many of the charities have gone overseas and helped drill wells and put in rudimentary water purification where possible. However, success so far as been (forgive the pun) a drop in the bucket.

Kamen knew the problem. He knew that only 3% of the earth's water is fresh, non-saline water. Of that non-saline water, only 1/3 is accessible as fresh water. Something needed to be done. He has invented something called the Slingshot. Unlike the Segway, this is not looked upon as novelty. It is however, looked upon as a game changer. This device, about the size of a central air conditioner, is capable of turning the most vile, polluted water into drinkable water - and lots of it. It will be capable of taking up to 1,000 liters of polluted water per hour, and turn it into potable water. And it do that using the same amount of electricity as a coffee maker.

I have addressed the problem with fresh water before, mostly how it affects our agri-business. However, world wide water is a huge problem and getting bigger. If the Slingshot pans out like we all hope it will, millions of lives could be saved. It could be the start of something which will allow us to use our ocean's waters for irrigation as well as drinking water. It could help make the devastating effects of droughts almost obsolete. The "go to market" date on the Slingshot is estimated to be from 2 to 5 years. It will be exciting to see how or if this technology comes to fruition.

There is hope for the future. America's inventors are not standing by, doing nothing. Stuff is happening; stuff is in the pipeline. We are on the cusp of the brave new world. Technology can doom us or it can save us. It is up to use to choose, and we much choose wisely.