Have you ever heard of a gyroscope? Probably, but you may not know exactly what it is.
All gyroscopes, in essence, consist of a spinning wheel on an axis.
The first gyroscopic effects were noted by German professor Johann Bohnenberger in 1817, but the name and device were invented by French scientist Leon Foucault almost 40 years later, in 1852, in an attempt to demonstrate the earth's rotation.
The basic concept behind a gyroscope is that a spinning object will resist changes to its overall orientation because of the force of the wheel's motion.
Examples of gyroscopic effects can be seen in the behavior of yo-yos, bicycles and cars in motion.
Today, gyroscopes are found in countless appliances, from compasses to artificial horizon devices in aircraft -- even in some innovative devices to improve the quality of people's lives and their health.
Smart Wheels
One of the latest uses of the gyroscope is found in the
iBOT Mobility System from Independence Technology, a division of
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ Quote - Cramer on JNJ - Stock Picks). The iBOT wheelchair ($24,000) was introduced to the market in a soft launch in July 2005.
Multiple gyroscopes within the wheelchair sense any motion, and then those signals are sent to the chair's computer, which enable the motors to adjust and move with the utmost stability. With such sensitive interaction to any environment, the wheelchair helps users feel safe and stable no matter what the terrain.
When a user leans back or reaches forward, the chair will also move with him. This is especially beneficial in maintaining social contact.
"[The iBOT] facilities conversations ... especially in a loud place. I don't have a loud voice, so now people don't need to lean over," says Paul Averill, 24, who has been using the chair for two months. Averill was paralyzed after a car accident in 2001, and says that his quiet tone is due to resulting respiratory problems.
Thanks to the gyroscopes, the iBOT chair can also safely raise the user to a more upright position. "This gives me legitimacy and puts me on the same playing field as everyone," explains Averill, who works as an investment banker -- "a very relationship-oriented business," he says.
Danielle Sonnenberg
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