Hoverboards are Becoming a Reality

As we draw to within a years’ reach of the future predicted by Back to the Future Part II in 1989, it seems like some of the inventions showcased in the film might actually become real. Thankfully creepy robotic waitresses remain confined to Japan and less thankfully virtual reality in still a ways off (although the Occulus Rift is providing a tantalizing glimpse of what it might be like), no what we’re talking about here is the coveted Hoverboard.

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Hendo is a small, California-based R&D undertaking founded by Jill and Greg Henderson. Their hover engines use a magnetic field which pushes against itself in order to create lift. I don’t understand how that works, but if you watch the footage of the board in action or read the testimonials from journalists who’ve tried it, you’ll be as convinced as you are amazed. The issue with the current iteration is that it only works if it’s over a non-ferromagnetic metal surface, but the couple have much bigger plans in mind and their Kickstarter campaign is already more than $50,000 north of the original target amount.

As cool as the prospect of re-enacting that iconic chase scene is, the implications of the concept reach far further than being the talk of cosplay town. In theory, the same principles could be applied to cars and trains in order to create a more energy efficient, safe means of transportation. Others have been down this road before, numerous hover-car prototypes have been developed and the Shanghai maglev train remains a shining example of forward thinking, but nothing has really set the world on fire, this could well be it.

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Wisely, the Hendersons have also included the ‘Whitebox developer kit’ as a reward for backers who pledge $299 or more. It’s a little white box containing a set of Hendo hover engines, it can be controlled via a smartphone app. Not only is this a novel little example of how the system works, it’s also a way of encouraging all the creative minds out there to take it to new places. Backers are encouraged to remove the engines and construct their own hovering devices. If this technology takes off in the way the Hendersons intend it to, we could be seeing hover engines being used for transport, construction and dozens of other applications. Imagine a wheelchair that could negotiate stairs or a building that could hover just above the ground during an earthquake, negating the effects. The sky’s the limit.

If everything continues according to plan, the first Hendo Hoverboards should be available by October 2015. Better dust off the knee-pads.

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