New scooter aimed at revolutionizing city life

Monday, Dec. 3, 2001 | 9:44 a.m.

NEW YORK -- "IT" is a scooter.

Capping months of speculation about his mysterious innovation, an inventor unveiled the device Monday -- a gyroscope-stabilized, battery-powered scooter that he hopes will revolutionize short-distance travel.

Dean Kamen and his backers are banking on the Segway Human Transporter to displace cars, leading to a realigned cityscape that's more people-friendly.

The single-rider Segway, until now known only by its code names IT and Ginger, "will be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy," Kamen boasted in this week's Time magazine. "Cars are great for going long distances. But it makes no sense at all for people in cities to use a 4,000-pound piece of metal."

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