T3: Rise of the machine

A DUBAI resident for eight years, Roger Whitting was originally employed by a company which imported unique technological equipment to Dubai.

Now with his own company, RTS Security Equipment Trading, Roger has continued dealing in his specialised field and the latest gadget soon to be seen rolling around the streets and malls of the UAE is the new T3 i-Series Personal Mobility Vehicle.

Meeting at Zabeel park for a ride on the new toy, Roger told City Times, “I have always dealt in specialised equipment which is different from the usual security equipment. When I see something like the T3 I think it’s a very interesting project to have because nobody has anything else like it. I tend to look for the James Bond type toys.”

“The T3 is very new. This is the only one in the Middle East and it has been here for just over four weeks. We’ve shown it to all the police departments and malls and a lot of security companies. They’re all interested in it so they just have to sort out specific numbers and people will start to see them everywhere.

The first ones will be in the new Dubai Mall.”

The T3 can reach speeds up to 40km/h and is designed with the input of law enforcement and security professionals. It features a zero-degree turning radius and has a compact design, perfect for manoeuvring through crowds and tight spaces. It is simple to use and basic riding can be mastered in a few minutes. The quiet, environmentally friendly vehicle has zero carbon emissions, includes an integrated LED lighting system and runs on an incomparable low cost of operation - less than 50 fils a day. It never requires any down time as a result of the T3’s two rechargeable batteries that can easily be swapped out while in use for continual deployment and unlimited range. The T3 comes stocked with an optional onboard GPS tracking system and video surveillance cameras along with police siren and yelp horn.

“The adjustable speed settings are essential on this model,” Roger continued.

“You can set it to a maximum of as low as 8km for inside the shopping centres and airports so as not cause any disruption. It is an all terrain vehicle that can mount and dismount curbs easily. It goes on any surface because of its front wheel drive and high traction front tyre.”

The shape of the T3 makes it very sturdy. Roger explained why it fares better than its closest rival in the market place the Segway. “There have been a lot of problems using the Segway in terms of security because although it is a beautiful piece of engineering, getting off at higher speeds is dangerous and people found that you have to dismount near somewhere you can lean it against otherwise it would fall over. With the T3 having a triangular base there’s no problem getting off and just leaving it. The same reason goes for driving it.

The Segway can be a bit difficult to master with the balance issue but with the T3 you just get on and go.”

There is no reverse on the T3 because it turns on its own axis. When riding it one is quite high up. “The height gives you authority over people and good visibility which is essential in today’s world of security especially in the malls and with the first response.”

Aside from the T3 Roger revealed some of the other gadgets coming to the UAE.

“We’ve got a very unusual camera that can ID everyone in a stadium. It is a wide angle camera that picks up on faces and compares them to a database to keep out troublemakers. I can’t really give too much else away but I’ll let people know in time.”

Roger stated he can see a time when ordinary citizens can pick up a T3 for personal use. “It will be a slightly different design but people will be able to buy them. Because the factory wasn’t geared up for the response they’ve had for these, they’ve decided to keep all of them just for the police and military.

Eventually they have plans to design one that is capable of carrying two people for ordinary use. That will come out when the security orders are completed.”

There is no security or emergency response situation where the T3 would not be useful. Whether its careering after shoplifters or attending to a maintenance problem over the other side of an airport, the T3 is the future of short distance personal mobility.

david@khaleejtimes.com