Patent ID: 8186462

Claim:
A transporter comprising: a support platform for supporting a load, the loaded support platform defining fore-aft and lateral planes and characterized by a tilt in the fore-aft plane with respect to the ground and a load distribution, the load distribution determining the tilt in the fore-aft plane; a plurality of ground contacting elements coupled to the support platform with at least two ground contacting elements disposed in the fore-aft plane such that the transporter is statically stable with respect to tipping in the fore-aft plane; a motorized drive arrangement for driving at least one of the plurality of ground contacting elements; a sensor module for generating a signal indicative of the load distribution of the loaded support platform based upon the tilt in the fore-aft plane of the platform; and a controller for commanding the motorized drive arrangement based on the load distribution; wherein the controller commands the motorized drive arrangement so as to cause an acceleration of the transporter, the transporter further including an externally visible indicator for providing an indication based on the acceleration, the indication being externally visible.