This DIY Segway-like scooter is� an exceptional guide to building your own self balancing transportation machine. Although Dean Kamen was first with his patented Segway scooter, they are actually surprisingly simple to build.�� We had covered some simila rprojects with our previous post on Build your own DIY Segway and the very similar – Enicycle: A Self Balancing Electric UniCycle.

In this latest project, Daniel Fukuba restates that a Segway-like personal scooter is very ‘Do-It-Yourself’. Though, it helps if you can get yourself the right tools and hardware. Putting together the custom circuit boards and writing the code is where most of the work goes in.� But then it’s the part that does the balancing and controlling the motion. Under the hood, the scooter has four packs of high discharge lithium ion batteries for powering the motors. The batteries last approx 10 miles on a single charge. Switching power supply to the NPC motors is through the electronic circuit boards. A couple of gyros matted on the base control the pitch and the torque with feedback from the software.

The scooter in the video is completely aluminum and uses expensive batteries. It can be made a lot cheaper with less costly batteries, any other material (even wood) and any motor. Yes, even with leftovers lying around. Side by side, the aluminum scooter cost $4000 to the $1000 for the wooden version (The real thing retails for $5000). Most of the stuff can be found online and also on eBay as tipped in the video.

The best thing about this DIY electric machine is that you can juice it up any way you’d like. Zipping around town in one of these is sure to grab some eyeballs.� Go over some of our popular ‘self balancing’ projects which show the principles behind the Segway scooter:

• Build an Electric Segway Skateboard
• Create a Self Balancing Segway-like Robot
• Make a Mini Segway Using the Arduino

If you’ve ever tried to ride a unicycle, most people would agree it’s pretty much impossible. However, with the Enicycle, a motorized unicycle, it’s dirt simple and you can learn in less than 15 minutes. The video above walks you through how it was designed as well as the balancing and steering mechanisms. It has built in gyroscopes and accelerometers (learn how to use a wiimote as a cheap accelerometer) along with microcontrollers and a 100W motor.

Our other balance/segway projects:

• Incredible Balancing, Climbing and Jumping Robots
• Make a Mini Segway with the Arduino

“The mini gyroscopes measure the vertical angle of the bike at a rate of 100 times a second, then feed the data to the processor, which drives the motor and in turn keeps you balance. Sounds complicated? Well, all you have to know is that you just lean forward to go and steer with your feet. Easy. To see just how easy, check out the video” – Featured on Gadget Show.

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Using some gyros and sensors and the Arduino for a brain, this group of roboticists created their own segway-like balancing robot.  The project details are listed below and you can read the entire build process.  This project uses DC motors and many other parts that you can purchase in our store.

Project specs:

• Control method: Radio Control
• CPU: Arduino
• Power source: Batteries
• Sensors / input devices: IMU sensors

You’ll also enjoy reading:

1. Build your own full size Segway
2. See a similar balancing Arduino robot
3. All of our Circuitry projects

Using a touch screen, these DIYers built an self balancing surface which automatically tilts itself based upon the position of any object placed upon it.  In the video demo, the surface automatically adjusts to the ball, keeping it directly the the center of the screen, reacting quickly when the object is manipulated.

As you can see in the video, the screen outputs data which is sent back to the servos which adjust their axis accordingly.  We carry many servos in varying speeds and sizes in our store.

Using the Arduino, and a couple LEGO motors and sensors, build your own self balancing segway-like robot.  We recently saw a similar balancing robot using a far more simple design. Â  There aren’t too many details posted about the build yet, but you can read more about the project and watch the demonstration video:

Related tutorials:

• Arduino Tutorial: Everything you Need.
• Build a Laser Harp using the Arduino.
• HacknMod’s Robotic Projects archive.