Welcome to the first edition of glide, the official newsletter from SEG America. This periodic publication will bring you the newest information about the Segway and related issues. Be sure to visit our website www.segamerica.org to find more topics and give us your feedback!

I love to take my Segway HT apart. Granted, I limit my intrusions as to retain my warranty. Given my past escapades, this is probably a good idea, but my ultimate dream has always been a complete disassembly. I’m not talking the maintenance-style disassembly where you take off a wheel and maybe a fender. I’m talking bare bones, unplugged wires, screws everywhere, holding the gyroscopes in my hands sort of disassembly. To appease this dream, Segway LLC allowed me a sneak peek to see how the Segway HT is assembled from start to finish.

If you’ve not been to the Bedford factory, it’s a very attractive angular building. It has a brick and tan exterior that’s nicely landscaped among trees in an industrial and residential neighborhood. In fact, I was kind of disappointed at its unassuming appearance given the secrecy behind the introduction of the product. I would have thought that, in keeping with the theme, you could only enter after a telephone booth ride like in “Get Smart.” Alas, entrance is gained through the front doors where I was greeted by the receptionist and asked to wait in a sitting area that is set among one of Segway’s new dealer displays.

My host for the day was Eric Fleming, the communications coordinator who recently joined Segway LLC after a two-year internship. He walked me through the factory floor pointing out those areas that were okay to be photographed and those areas that really less than photogenic *wink*wink*. Soon we were joined by Chip MacDonald, the Director of Manufacturing Operations. Chip earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Tufts University, working in the defense electronics industry before moving into manufacturing engineering. He met Doug Field, Segway’s vice President of Design and Engineering & Chief Technology Officer, while attending business school at MIT; a relationship that led to his current position with Segway.

The factory space is 75,000 square feet with 20 foot high ceilings. Along the back side of the building are a row of bay doors and all model assembly and storage is within this building. Part of the reason for so much space was to make the company’s manufacturing line as flexible as possible. Supplies arrive at one end of the plant and are stored on site. Workers on the assembly line can have a full pallet of supplies at their side, reducing their dependency on the fork-truck operators. As completed units come off the line, they are packaged and stored in-house, ready for shipment. The open hangar-like design of the facility allows for production to increase and decrease with demand, and, when the need arises, to add additional production lines.

Today was a p Series day and the assembly line was filled with units in various stages of completion. If you were to have the opportunity to work on the line, you’d be cross-trained on all aspects of assembly and would rotate through the stations to prevent fatigue and ensure quality control.

The first step in the process is to put the die-cast aluminum chassis on the trolley. All of the components are housed in the chassis, which also acts as a heat sink, keeping parts from overheating. It’s also designed to withstand the force of 7 tons of force - the equivalent of three SUV’s.

The trolley acts as the building platform and can be rotated into any position to aid the assembly. The biggest difference between the Segway factory and, say, the Ford factory, is the lack of automation. All steps are auto-assisted, but operators have full control over the process and speed of completion.

All Segways receive their serial number and reflective strips first. Then the base is placed in what looks like a sophisticated easy bake oven. This machine scans the weather proof serial strip and engraves the number onto the bottom of the chassis.

The next step is to install the motors. There is no left or right to the motors to prevent a supply overage/underage on either particular side.

Each motor sits tight in the opening, allowing heat to be distributed to the chassis. The motor is cylindrical, except for the side facing out (in the picture), where a tab aligns to the top left thus making them impossible to install incorrectly. As a whole, assembly of a Segway does not require any particular technical skill. During the design phase the manufacturing gurus built a mock assembly line, dubbed the “Plywood Plant,” to see how well Segway HTs could be mass-produced. Along the way, design engineers were put to the test. When mistakes were made, the engineers weren’t told until after a complete assembly and the unit would refuse to work. Despite the frustration they must have felt, the final design is–frankly-speaking–dummy proof; there is only one right way everything can go together.

A gadget that I’d like to have is the auto-fed, torque-controlled, air gun that drives each screw into Segway with precision of the Olympic synchronized swimming team. The device is carefully counter-balanced, which eliminates the strain put on the line technician using it.

Attached to the screw gun is the screw counter. As controller boards and other parts are attached, the counter makes sure that exactly the correct number of screws is used. The plunger (bottom right picture) drops and the chassis moves on to receive the next components.

After the angular rate sensors are connected, the cover is installed and I had my moment of ignorance. I’ve been a Segway owner for one year, six months and 19 days but I’ve never asked how the HT knows I’m standing on it. Sure, Blinky turns green and smiles at me and that reassuring beep sounds, but what happens physically? As Chip graciously explained, when you stand on your metal-backed rubber mat, depressing the black plungers on the chassis top, a small piece of plastic interrupts a beam of light; a simply elegant solution to the problem because there’s no physical impact on the boards below.

The handlebar assembly (partially assembled on-site) and the base unit (CSB) comes next.

Coming into the home stretch, gearboxes, being installed below by manufacturing technician Bob Gallant, are followed by fenders and the infamous kickstand.

Moving down the line the Segway HT now receives its Michelin BalAnce tires. Not to accuse anyone of trying to reinvent the wheel, but the safety features you ride on are completely under emphasized. The next time you take a wheel off, you’ll notice that the connection between wheel and gearbox is tapered. This design reduces “slop,” the tendency for the wheel to slip around the gear box. Further, should you lose a nut *grin* the wheel won’t instantly fall off, but gradually give way such that the rider should notice something is amiss. In other words, a lost nut would result in a “ductile failure.”

Finally, with batteries installed and mats in place, our Segway HT guinea pig has reached the end of the line. The last step puts the Segway HT through thorough testing before being packed and shipped. This unique looking machine tests that all systems are communicating correctly. Motors are tested at varying speeds. Redundant systems are tested against one another, and plungers test to make sure the rider detect system is functioning properly.

The intelligent keys are assigned at this point and then each Segway HT undergoes the glide test. What the test machine can’t detect are elements like fender rubbing, weird vibrations and gearbox noise. So a glider, donning the appropriate safety gear, dutifully takes each machine through its paces.

Seeing a Segway HT rise up out of a pile of parts is an awesome experience, but seeing it through completion, your fingers itch to try the process out yourself. Better than taking one apart, I now think I’d have a better time putting one together. Hopefully, Segway will see the enthusiasm we all share for the Segway HT and auction off the ultimate prize: a chance to take your place on the line and build your own Segway HT.

Whenever anyone with a Segway HT problem posts on www.segwaychat.com , the first posting usually recommends that the owner call Judy Moira, LLC’s customer service extraordinaire. Other than her innate ability to calm our fears and give us solutions to our problems, do we really know who she is? To give us a little insight, Judy graciously agreed to an interview.

SEG America: Judy, could you give us a little background information about yourself like where were you born?

Judy Moira: I was born in Mission Hill, South Dakota. Without making myself sound too old, we lived in a parsonage that was the only house in town with an ‘indoor’ bathroom (they were very behind the times)! My family moved a few times when I was young, but I spent most of my school years in West Springfield, Mass.

SA: Who was your role model as a child?

JM: My mother. She continues to be a role model for me with her positive outlook towards life. She’s always been supportive of me whether she agrees or not.

SA: Where did you go to college and what did you do before coming to work at Segway, LLC?

JM: I went to the University of Connecticut (UConn) and majored in Sociology (and having fun, isn’t that what college is about?). The two jobs I worked before Segway LLC involved software and hardware support for computer companies. I also have a strong background in customer service, having worked a few years in retail customer service and for a cellular telephone company.

SA: What accomplishment are you most proud of?

JM: I enrolled in a one year, full-time computer program when my two oldest children were school-aged, held a part-time job and still managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA.

SA: Let’s talk a little about your time at Segway. How long have you been with the company and why did you want to work for them?

JM: I have been with Segway for just over one and a half years. My son participated in F.I.R.S.T. during high school and I was impressed with Dean’s philosophy and attitude toward technology in today’s world. So when the opportunity arose, I thought it would be exciting to be part of his innovative, start-up company.

SA: What kind of training did you undergo for your job?

JM: When I first started, we were busy processing the Amazon orders and I focused on learning the database and order management software that we use. When customers started receiving units, I transitioned from processing orders to handling incoming inquiries. As various requests came in, I often had to learn other aspects of the system and was later trained to handle technical support.

SA: Could you describe your job for us?

JM: As employees at a start-up company we work together to best adjust to the needs of our customers and develop solutions to the challenges we are faced with daily. Therefore, my daily routine includes answering telephone calls and e-mails, processing service requests, coordinating repairs and other administrative duties but we continually adjust our routines to fit our most recent needs.

SA: What is the protocol for answering questions?

JM: We are prepared to handle any question that may arise. There are troubleshooting guides, detailed product component information sheets and other reference manuals that we use to help us resolve any situation.

SA: So what is the most common problem owners have?

JM: I’ll bet you can guess this one…. the parking stand! My husband says that he often hears me mumbling in my sleep something along the lines of “it’s designed to break away in the event of an accidental deployment while being ridden…”

SA: What is the most unusual problem an owner has had?

JM: The one that comes to mind is when a customer called in recently and could not tighten the control shaft bolt on his new unit. The wedge clamp on the opposite side just kept spinning when he turned the screwdriver. After I went through our standard troubleshooting steps, I put him on hold and asked a senior technician for suggestions. The technician wasn’t convinced this was possible and suggested that I confirm that the customer had the control shaft properly installed. I reviewed the process with the customer one more time. Still no success! I then asked the senior technician to talk to the customer directly so he could better understand the situation. The technician took the call and gave the person a few recommendations and said to call back with the results.

As it turns out, the control shaft bolt is now packed with the keys instead of leaving it in the control shaft base where it connects the handlebars to the platform. When the customer called back, we all realized that the bolt was still in the bag with the keys and not already in the hole! The customer said he felt silly, but I felt even worse because I had escalated the call to a senior technician!

SA: What do you like best about working at Segway?

JM: I love the people, both my fellow employees and our customers. We really do have a great group!

SA: Do you own a Segway?

JM: No, I don’t own one, but we have access to them and I frequently bring them home to use (and have to fight to with my family to use it!).

SA: That’s a pretty nice perk! Now for the fun questions: what would you title your autobiography?

JM: “Judy, Judy, Judy”

SA: Name 5 uses for a brick.

JM: 1. Doorstop
2. Build a fence
3. Paperweight
4. Hold up 2 x 4’s for shelving (remember those shelves we built in college?)
5. Throw at my teen-aged daughter when she is out of control (he-he).

SA: What superpower would you like to have?

JM: I would like to have the ability to read peoples’ minds because I like to know exactly where I stand with them.

SA: What sport or activity would you like to see done with a Segway?

JM: Segway baseball - the Red Sox vs. the Dodgers - my husband is a huge Dodgers fan and it’s the Red Sox for me!

SA: Last but not least, who inspires you?

JM: Without sounding sappy, my husband (of 2 months) inspires me. He can always find humor in any situation despite all the obstacles he has been through in life. I have always believed that laughter is the best medicine!

SA: Judy, thank you so much for sharing with us!

Riding a Segway across the country is like no other experience. It becomes a way of life in which traveling 80 miles in a day is “making good time” and the scenery is no longer still - shadows move and change the colors and shapes of the hills, horses meander in the fields and make eye contact, rivers rush and chatter alongside.

After 2100 miles, we have completed one-half of the cross-country expedition and have acclimated ourselves to this leisurely, yet turbulent routine. We’ve had abundant experiences and have met a world of wonderful people. We were flagged down by a team of river guides, who offered stacks of rafts under the stars as beds for the night. We met a chief of an Indian tribe who included us in a sacred prayer ceremony. We met a friendly stone mason at a farmer’s auction in Kansas that was taking place on the side of the road. He invited us to stay with him and his wife who had just brought their new baby girl home from the hospital. Had we been whizzing along in a car we may not have spontaneously stopped to talk to any of these people, but on the Segway, they were easy pit-stops.

The ride has been fairly smooth up until this point, with only a few hours of rain and no major collisions (minus a small mishap with a tractor and a motor home, but luckily the Segway was not involved). We are hoping the tires will stay strong as the weather gets colder and the rain turns to snow (???).

As a whole, we don’t expect too many problems and are excited to be heading into our second half, which will bring more and more experiences as the cities and towns get closer together. We have a lot of supporters who have contacted us through our website ( www.10mph.com ) and we are eager to meet all of them as we make our way towards Boston. Recently we got to glide around Topeka with local Segway-owner John Benaka, as well as Lou Zettler from Dallas, who drove 8 hours with his fleet of six Segways to play with us for a little while. We had a terrific day, which came to an end with six of us gliding down a rolling country road as the amber sky glowed against bottle green fields…We can’t wait to see, feel, smell and hear what happens next.

The next time you are in San Francisco don’t miss the local Bay Area SEG meets. More than outings and networking, this group challenges the versatility of the Segway. Equipped with foam-covered mallets, Nerf balls and helmets, they have gone from nerds without cars to the newest American all-stars. How have they transformed from geek to chic? Two words: Segway Polo.

During the 1850’s in India, the British Calvary drew up the first set of formal rules for polo. Over the last fifty years, this bourgeois activity has declined to near obscurity; which, in our modern culture, meant time for a revival. So, rather than two thousand pounds of horseflesh barreling down a field, the rules and game have been adapted to the ultra modern Segway HT.

The idea to adapt polo for the Segway began in a thread on www.segwaychat.com more than two years ago. Only recently were Segway owners organized enough to get together and play. Bay Area SEG members Alex Ko and Jonathan VanClute organized their first game on July 11th of this year. Their two-on-two game was so much fun they played until their batteries died. Over the past month, the number of players has increased to 12 and the team has regular practice sessions twice a month.

Game play is described by team member Alex Ko:

“The basics are simple: There are two teams of four lined up on opposite sides of the field. At the end of each side of the field are goals. Each player rides their Segways (on stock yellow keys so that i-series don’t have an advantage over p-series) while holding a mallet in their right hand. The object of the game is to strike a 6 inch diameter foam ball through the goal posts, scoring a point. The team with the most points at the end of four 7.5 minute periods, called chukkas, is the winner.”

As in most things Segway, this is an ever evolving process. Bay Area SEG is developing regulations for the game based on the rules from traditional horseback polo, bicycle polo, and soccer. They are considering “right-of-way” issues in controlling the ball, throw-in shots, and whether hooking of mallets is legal. Currently, the group has a short list of rules at their website www.bayareaseg.com to get other enthusiast groups started.

Equipment for the sport is also evolving. Currently, individual players use a mallet constructed of PVC piping and foam padding, but they are considering more durable materials. The ball was the most problematic issue the team faced. The first iteration was vinyl, but proved too light and easily blown off course. Additionally, the vinyl ball was small enough that i-series HT’s could roll over it and be momentarily lifted in the air. If you aren’t aware, Segways do not operate well with only one wheel on the ground. So the current ball is a softer, heavier Nerf ball.

What, though, about the perils of this budding sport? Team member Jonathan VanClute, an investor from California, will tell you that while falling is a risk, and happens fairly often, nobody has been injured. There are also stray mallet swings and airborne nerf balls, but Segway Polo remains “far less dangerous than football, horse polo, or even ultimate Frisbee.” From video footage of these games, one can see that fun definitely outweighs any potential harm.

Fun is perhaps the key element to Segway Polo. Despite the tremendous advantages and uses to owning a Segway, the outings and adventures had with our contraptions bring more people into our revolution of movement. When asked why he started playing, Steve Wozniak, President and CTO of Wheels of Zeus, said:

“I have had some of the best fun of my life, at least in recent years, on my Segway . . . Games and competition are a fun part of life. It’s not clear how a game like polo would work out on Segways. It’s such a new concept that the rules are still being worked out. In that sense we are pioneers and I like to do things at that stage.”

So whether you want to pioneer a new sport or enhance your local community, take the advice of the Bay Area SEG and organize a local polo practice session. This new sport may be unconventional, but then so is the Segway.

One of the easiest ways to introduce your community to the joy of the Segway is through group demonstrations.

The Boston SEG ( www.segwayboston.org ) spent September 18th and 19th giving over 300 demonstration glides to participants of the Altwheels Festival, a local alternative transportation exposition. Hearing comments like “So Cool!” and “Wow! What else can we do here?” the attendees were invigorated by their up close and personal introduction to our favorite mode of transportation. This is one of four major events the group participates in as they promote the fun and practicality of Segway ownership.

Message from the President: As Kelsey said, welcome to SEG America’s very first newsletter! This is the first of what will be many newsletters going out to the members of SEG America and the Segway community. The Executive Board and others have worked very hard to get the SEG America organization going and productive. Our first newsletter is a major milestone in this journey.

This newsletter #1 goes out to all who have registered on SEG America’s web site and other friends of the Segway Community. We will be issuing another newsletter #2 shortly which will focus on the people and events of Segway Fest 2004 which took place in early October. Newsletter #3 and thereafter will only be available to members of SEG America with the advanced level of membership.

We will be contacting all current basic members shortly with information on how to upgrade their membership to the new advanced level.