Mike, that is so cool!  Thank you so much for sharing!  They even talk about
the segway in the pitch.  I can't wait to show that video to my kids.  Their
website says they are hiring. Maybe our kids can get their resumes in order!
That was really cool, thanks!
Sonya in Harrisonburg


On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 10:58 PM, Michael Blanpied <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Dear FLL Coaches,
>
> You and your transportation-immersed teams might find this pretty
> interesting. A 19-year-old guy has invented a motorcycle called the Uno,
> which uses only one wheel (actually, a pair of side-by-side wheels) and
> operates like an electric-powered unicycle.
>
> The Uno uses active balancing and rider detection, accelerometers, and
> feedback--similar to a Segway scooter--to remain upright and move. It's a
> very cool concept, and the prototype looks very cool as well. The young
> inventor has won several awards, started a company, received venture capital
> funding, and is developing the bike.
>
> The web site, http://www.the-uno.com/, contains pictures and links to
> several magazine article and awards. The site includes a video of the
> 19-year-old inventor presenting the idea to the Dragons--a panel of venture
> capitalists--hoping that they'll invest in his company so he can develop the
> bike; that video includes footage of him riding the Uno.
>
> On a related topic, several people have built miniature Segway scooters
> with the NXT kit, using either a light, ultrasonic or accelerometer sensor
> as the feedback input. Building and programming a self-balancing robot is a
> neat project for more advanced NXTists. For those wanting a further
> challenge, the robot can be controlled from afar using Bluetooth, with a
> laptop, cell phone or another NXT brick as the controller. There are
> examples posted to http://mindstorms.lego.com/NXTLOG/.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Mike Blanpied
> Reston, VA
> 2006 #4809 Nano People
> 2007 #1666 Power Bunnies
> 2008 #5013 BLT--Brilliant LEGO Team
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE YOUR SETTINGS, please visit
> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave
> the list".
>
> If you want to join the VADCFLL-ADMIN-L mailing list - to which FLL
> administrative announcements will be distributed - visit
> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html and select "Join or
> leave the list".
>

______________________________________________________________
To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE YOUR SETTINGS, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list".

If you want to join the VADCFLL-ADMIN-L mailing list - to which FLL administrative announcements will be distributed - visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html and select "Join or leave the list".