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AnchorDesk

David Coursey
Ginger: Lots of hype, lots of hot air--and that's a good thing

David Coursey
Executive Editor, AnchorDesk
Wednesday, March 7, 2001
TalkBack!Add your opinion
Today we have new word on Ginger, the top-secret brainchild of noted inventor Dean Kamen, as investigative teams have narrowed down the possibilities of a technology that's been described as "bigger than the Internet" by those in the know.

It turns out Ginger may be exactly what I said it was (though not here) when the speculation began: A bunch of hot air. Though what I meant and what Ginger may be are two different things.

THE KEY TO GINGER may be literally hot air, used to power an ingenious, socially responsible new form of transportation. There had already been speculation that Ginger was a scooter of some sort; what's new is the likelihood that Ginger uses a Stirling Engine--the so-called "hot air" engine--for power, perhaps using hydrogen as a fuel.

It's been nearly two months since Jesse brought us the Ginger story. (Click for more.) At the time I almost wrote a piece debunking the hype surrounding the mystery product, which almost immediately showed up as an item to be ordered someday, maybe, on Amazon.com. The world was awhirl with rumors and speculation about what Ginger might be--the hype machine in overdrive, so to speak.

FORTUNATELY, KAMEN CALMED down the buzz on his own, blaming the author of a proposed book about him and his research company for stirring things up. Kamen's "enough already" earned him big points in my book. (Click for more.)

AnchorDesk Science Correspondent Pete Deemer, my real-life big boss and a CNET Vice President, cut through the hype on his own early on. Almost immediately, he speculated that Ginger was based on something I'd never heard of: the Stirling Engine.

The Stirling runs off heat and is more efficient and quieter than internal combustion engines. Its major flaw, at least for use in a transportation device, is that it takes a long time--like 20 minutes--to warm up enough to get something moving. The engine has been used in prototype cars and submarines as well as in cryogenics for its ability to create intense cold. You can read more and even purchase a Science Fair working model from the American Stirling Co. (Click for more.)

SOMETHING ELSE PETE NOTICED: Some of the patent drawings show Ginger standing upright without a kickstand. He believes Kamen could make this possible by leaving the Stirling Engine running and using it to drive a flywheel to provide balance, employing the same principle that keeps a gyroscope or a moving bicycle upright.

"How would you do this? By having a two-part wheel--an external hub (for riding on), and an internal hub (for stability), with ball bearings in between them that allow them to spin independently of each other," he explains.

If you wanted to be really ingenious, the internal hub could be used like a flywheel, storing the energy from the external hub when the vehicle slows down, and delivering it back out when the red light turns to green. This could help the Stirling Engine reach full power more quickly.

THE MAGAZINE THAT FIRST broke the Ginger story will be back out soon with its own new speculation, compiled by a private investigator. I won't name the magazine--which I think engaged in shameless hype and self-promotion--but I will quote their press release.

"As many have guessed, 'Ginger' has to do with a ground-breaking, scooter-type vehicle that can balance on two wheels. But the real revelation is the power behind it--hydrogen, which runs basically emission-free. In subsequent iterations, Kamen intends to retrofit his scooters with his patented version of the Stirling engine, an almost perpetual motion machine that could be manufactured for any product that requires power."

The magazine says Kamen has created a new company called ACROS, which aims to create a product line that features "motorized, self-propelled, wheeled personal mobility aids, namely wheel chairs, scooters, carts, and chariots," and that the company has begun building a factory in New Hampshire.

I HAVE STAYED AWAY from the Ginger "story" because I've considered it to be overblown and self-serving hype for a book proposal. But it has also sparked tremendous interest and, now armed with some informed speculation, I'm happy to present what we think we know.

And if Ginger lives up to its potential as a new, environmentally friendly, inexpensive means of transportation, it might live up to the hype. Which would be a neat turn, for once.

Is Ginger a nifty solution to our energy needs, or just a gee-whiz spin on a gimmicky toy? Is the hype justified, or will all this hot-air talk just blow over? TalkBack to me.

Note to readers: David is now getting up bright and early to visit with Brian Cooley every morning at 7:45 a.m. PT on CNET Radio (910AM in the San Francisco Bay Area and at www.cnetradio.com online). You can also catch David on CNET's TV report aired every weekend on CNBC (see airtimes) or by going to the special CNET TV page featuring his most recent appearances.

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