It is possible with a flywheel on a vertical axis...i.e. a gyroscope...

Check these out -

http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/History.html

Some of the old monorail trains were balanced like this.


http://forbes.com/lifestyle/2003/11/04/cx_dl_1104vow.html

And gyroscopically balanced transportation has not been
abandoned, either -








>From: olin_piclist@embedinc.com (Olin Lathrop)
>Reply-To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclist@mit.edu>
>To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclist@mit.edu>
>Subject: Re: [EE] Home made Segway equivalent / Self balancing Unicycle
>Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 14:56:42 -0400
>
>Jose Da Silva wrote:
>>There is a better version of the segway for problems like that. I recall
>>seeing a 2 wheeled version with the wheels in-line
>
>But then how does it stay up?  The Segway moves itself back and forth to
>maintain ballance front/back, and the distance between the two wheels keeps
>it ballanced sideways.  If the wheels were in line, then it would be
>naturally stable front/back, but there is now no mechanism left to ballance
>sideways.  This could be achieved the way a bicycle does where gyroscopic
>forces from falling over feed back into the steering, but that only works
>when you're moving.


Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity.


-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist