Hoverboards & Segways
A self-balancing scooter (also "hoverboard", self-balancing board) is a self-balancing personal transporter consisting of two motorised wheels connected to a pair of articulated pads on which the rider places their feet. The rider controls the speed by leaning forwards or backwards, and direction of travel by twisting the pads.
Invented in its current form in early 2013, the device is the subject of complex patent disputes.
The Segway is a two-wheeled electric vehicle used as a convenient way to travel around towns and cities.
It is a self-balancing device and its name is derived from the word "segue" which literally means "follows".
The motorised scooter uses gyroscopes to remain upright and is controlled by the direction in which the rider leans.
Riders lean backwards, forwards and to the left and right using a thin handlebar attached to a pole.
It was designed by Dean Kamen, an American entrepreneur and inventer, and was unveiled in 2001 before being mass produced in 2002.