A mechanical engineer at Purdue University has one-upped the Segway guys with a hands-free scooter that uses the principles of tai chi, the ancient Chinese martial art, to keep you from falling on your face.

The Tai Chi Scooter ditches the Segway's handlebars in favor of an optical encoder that monitors the angular displacement of the electric motor.

With nothing to wrap your hands around, riding the scooter requires focusing your mind and maintaining awareness of your center of balance – two fundamental elements of tai chi. That's not to say you'll be pushing hands or doing a single whip on wheels.

"The reason it is called the Tai Chi Scooter is that the hands-free, remote control and large platform make it possible for tai chi poses," said Henry Zhang, a professor who has practiced the martial art for seven years, in an interview with Wired.com.

But it makes sense to us. With a top speed of 15 mph, you'll either find the perfect inner balance of yin and yang, or you'll fall off and break an arm.

Zhang and his students spent several months designing, wiring, coding and assembling the scooter, which he figures costs a few grand. That's a bargain compared to the first three Segways, which went for as much as $160,000 when they popped up on eBay.

In actuality, though, the scooter is nothing more than a box with wheels. It's turned on using remote control, but acceleration and turning are done strictly by shifting your weight or tai chi pose. Turning is handled by the optical encoder, while sensors perceive the rider's movements and direct the motor to slow down or accelerate accordingly. Power comes from three 24-volt, 40-amp rechargeable batteries.

Don't expect to see Woz playing polo on a Tai Chi Scooter anytime soon. Zhang said it was developed strictly for educational purposes, and he has no intention of marketing it.

Photos: Purdue University

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