Urban Transport

TILTO is a home-built attempt at reinventing the Segway

TILTO is a home-built attempt at reinventing the Segway
TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
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TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
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TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
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TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
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TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
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Although it's not that uncommon to encounter people riding Segways, self-balancing vehicles haven't revolutionized urban transport as some expected. Created by Argentinean inventor Marcelo Fornaso, TILTO is a new incarnation of the idea behind the Segway. It replaces the stiff platform and wheels with tilting equivalents, while eliminating handlebars or a steering wheel. It is an electrically powered, single-person vehicle, with a maximum range of 15 km (9,32 miles) and top speed of 20 kph (12 mph).

TILTO (from "tilt and go") has no handlebars so turning TILTO is achieved by leaning sideways, which surprisingly is safer than turning a Segway, according to Fornaso. When turning a Segway at high speed, there are forces pushing the driver out of the vehicle. Turning by tilting reportedly eliminates this problem, since there's an inertial system that prevents the driver and vehicle from falling during turns. "It produces the left wheel to accelerate and the right wheel to decelerate proportionally," Fornaso says.

The vehicle can go forward, backward or stand still without falling over.

TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)
TILTO is a home-built electrically powered, single-person self-balancing vehicle (Photo: Marcelo Fornaso)

There are multiple accelerometers and gyro sensors implemented in TILTO, and the whole system is controlled via a "microprocessor and processed by a sophisticated piece of control software." The prototype is fully home-built, made from scratch in Buenos Aires, with the help of Fornaso's friends. The experimental prototype had its first street test on June 12, and the footage from the test can be viewed below.

Fornaso is definitely not the first inventor in the race to revolutionize urban transport with a self-balancing, single-seated electric vehicle. TILTO will join the likes of the Solowheel and Honda U3-X working prototype unicycles.

Source: Engadget

Tilto - First Real Test

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8 comments
8 comments
Burnerjack
Show me a full speed Emergency Stop. If this can be done, THEN, mafbe you have a product. Looks about as comfortable and ergomonic as riding on a bicycle\'s handlebars. None of these \"alternative\" wheeled vehicles look as if they can pass this test.
Lensgypsy
Looks like it takes much effort to ride/control this thing. I would prefer to control it with a tethered (or wireless) joystick. Hmm, I think Scarpar - the off-road skateboard - is much more fun and mobile. Hmm, does the TILTO make wheelchairs better somehow?
Drifter
Interesting concept.....a spin off of the can-am leaning motorcycle.
@Burnerjack emergency stop what? First, he has to get going at a decent clip. Or he can always jump off. So that is your \'test to past\' for alternative wheeled vehicles? really? I could stop my Segway, on a dime. A more real concern would be, if I travel over a pothole, does it affect the steering?
NEGATIVISM KILLS (ideas) There is no room for idea \'haters\' at any conceptual platform.
holdenmidfield
Why not merry this with the: FlyRad http://www.gizmag.com/flyrad-unicycle/16863/ Lose the skates and put some pep into this pokey wheelchair. It would also help solve the breaking problem.
Dakoroman, Sydney
Ioan \"Dakoroman\" OASA, Sydney, Australia : a few years ago/ before Mr. Marcelo Fornaso, I have invented DAKOROMAN TILTING SYSTEMS. Among many applications, DAKOROMAN TILTING DICYCLES/ IP AUSTRALIA. The current problems TILTO has is about the type of TILTING SYSTEMS Mr. Fornaso uses. From the videoclip, his body is limited to act like a simple load. The rider\'s body movements must have a BIG imput to the whole action, like a bicycle racer/ horse rider/ motor biker, etc. At that moment, speed/ all types terrains/ angles/ change of directions/ load= for transportation/ stability/ stopping/ starting, become as simple , safe and natural as they should be, a FULLY CONTROLLED DICYCLE . Marcelo Fornaso\'s TILTO can be easily improved.
Therefore we can talk about REAL REVOLUTION FOR URBAN TRANSPORT.
Renārs Grebežs
I think that it needs a decent office chair and the wireless joystick for control - then it\'ll be perfect!
phydeaux
I will never understand why a conventional 2 wheels scooter isn\'t more practical. While I have ridden Segways and find that they can be fun I still think these things were invented to solve a problem that didn\'t exist.
unklmurray
The only reason "Segway's"are not more popular is the hefty price of $6500.00 each...I can buy a bunch of less expensive toys 4 that,I would love to have a Segway,but at that price it will only happen if I win the lottery!!