It's been over a century since the original concept of the monorail train from the 1903 Gyro-Monorail project was introduced, but few have attempted to replicate it—until now. A YouTuber known as “HyperspacePirate” has built a working miniature model of the monorail train, demonstrating its ability to stay upright using Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs). Unlike traditional methods that rely on reaction wheels, this project uses a pair of fast-spinning gyros that tilt back and forth to maintain balance. This approach shows promise for real-world applications, such as stabilizing bikes or motorcycles.
The design cleverly utilizes counter-rotating gyroscopes to cancel out unwanted tilting effects caused by changes in pitch—similar to how "P-factor" works in airplanes. Controlled by RC servos and driven by an MPU6050 gyro/accelerometer linked to an Arduino board, the gyros are adjusted to stabilize the vehicle as needed.
The gyroscopes are made from 3-inch solid steel discs capable of spinning up to 8,000 RPM. However, they are run at lower speeds to avoid excessive vibrations. While the steel discs add mass, using 3D-printed alternatives at higher speeds could be a potential area for future experimentation. A small gear motor moves the train slowly along a track, with the focus on demonstrating the stabilization process rather than speed. The system is powered by a 2-cell lithium battery, with the motors running at 8.0V and the servos, Arduino, and sensors supplied with 5V through an LM2596 buck converter.
Despite the project's simplicity, it captivatingly showcases how an unstable two-wheeled vehicle can balance itself. The creator is considering scaling up the concept to a full-sized bicycle, which could lead to new stabilization techniques in transportation.
