The
DeLorean might still be some way off, but in the present hoverboard
technology is cruising along nicely -- and its flagship model just got
an upgrade.
Hendo 2.0, the updated version of the hoverboard that caught everyone's attention exactly one year ago, has just been released, and it's quite something.
How it works
The Hendo 2.0
The
hoverboard, the result of a collaboration with skateboard maestro Tony
Hawk, works by using what is known as Magnetic Field Architecture hover
engine technology.
"The
hover engine creates a primary magnetic field which is then put over a
candidate surface like aluminum or copper" explains Greg Henderson,
co-founder and CEO of Arx Pax, the company behind the invention. "The
hover engine then creates swirls of electricity and those create a
secondary magnetic field, which propels the firsts."
But the concept is more than just
turning a science fiction vision into reality: "Essentially we are
providing a tool," explains Greg.
Arx Pax is making just 11 of the boards, to be shipped to backers of its initial Kickstarter
funding campaign across the world: "Our second-generation hover engines
which power Hendo 2.0 are stronger, more efficient, and open up new
possibilities for the way we transport objects and people" says Jill
Henderson, fellow co-founder of Arx Pax. They are not planning a wider
release just yet, as the device is essentially a proof of concept.
"We've all heard of wearables. Now it's time to start thinking about moveables," she argues.
Even
Bob Gale, the screenwriter and producer who created the original
hoverboard concept for the Back to the Future film, is a fan of the
design: "It was a total high riding the Hendo because it embodied what
we were trying to create in 1989. The Hendersons' movie-inspired
technology has led to not only a functional hoverboard, but also other
fascinating hover applications."
For the Hendersons this type of
technology has the potential to make a real difference across a whole
range of industries, including transportation, structural isolation,
industrial automation and even space exploration.
"If
you don't have to touch the ground, what more does that enable?" asks
Greg. Arx Pax say the potential could mean being able to isolate
structures from unwanted movements, which could have huge applications
for buildings in Earthquake zones. It would also lead to changes in car
assembly, allowing it to no longer be linear and in space to use
magnetic tethering devises to grab satellites magnetically.
Future applications
Arx
Pax's Magnetic Field Architecture is also being made available to teams
competing in SpaceX's Hyperloop pod competition. It's designed to help
accelerate the development of the Hyperloop,
the proposed vacuum tube transportation system that would take
passengers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in a mere 20 minutes, at 760
miles per hour.
"Our attitude is, may the best technology win."
Longer
term the significance of the technology goes way beyond what we can
imagine. "All we talk about is hovering, but the technology goes way
beyond that" explains Greg. "This leads to a more efficient transmission
of electromagnetic energy." The possibilities are huge.
But
for many the big question is still, when will we get personal
hoverboards? The answer according to Jill is no longer a matter of if,
but when.
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