The History and Evolution of the Hoverboard – by Charles Watson

Ever since a hoverboard was featured in the 1989 film Back To The Future Part II—where time traveler Marty McFly rides one about the size of a skateboard in the then-future world of 2015—the device has captured the imagination of enthusiasts all over the world, including inventors who have been working on their own versions.

Their inventions, however, have had to struggle to get off the ground.  Some of the problems that have limited the progress of the innovation include safety issues, adequate power for lift and propulsion, and meeting customer expectations.

Despite this, tech companies and independent innovators are making significant strides.  There already have been significant milestones and interesting moments in the history of the hoverboard.

The Vintage Hoverboard

The concept of the hoverboard pre-dates its most famous cinematic incarnation by more than three decades.  An inventor in the 1950s already had an idea for a Flying Platform, though it was quite a bit larger than a skateboard—more than eight feet in diameter.  The Hiller 1031-A-1 was developed for the military and was to be steered by a single pilot who would only require a few days of training to learn to maneuver it effectively.  The pilot could achieve directional control by shifting his weight from side to side.

Even though the first prototype of the Hiller Model took off the ground, it was found to be ineffective for combat situations.  Its maximum speed of 16 miles per hour was also found to be too slow for many intended applications.  An improved model (VZ-1) with extra engines was found to be too heavy.  The program between the US Army and Navy was discontinued.

Self Balancing Scooters

In 2014, Chic Robotics released the Smart S1 self-balancing scooter and showcased it at the Canton Fair, one of China’s Top Trade shows attended by 180,000 people.  It’s not really a hoverboard—it doesn’t hover, just rolls smoothly on wheels like a sideways skateboard—but that’s what some people and companies call them.

The product proved popular with consumers at the trade fair, so

other companies began developing devices with a similar technology.  Their popularity began to rise even more when celebrities such as Justin Beiber, Kendall Jenner, and Wiz Khalifa, began sharing videos of themselves trying them out.

Issues with Self Balancing Scooters

Unfortunately, problems soon developed with the product, including:

• Wiring and Battery: The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) highlighted issues with some devices that had batteries that could overheat. There were numerous cases reported in the press of self-balancing scooters catching fire.  More than half a million units from 10 firms were recalled in 2016 following reports of product safety concerns.
• Accidents: There also are concerns that the self-balancing scooters can cause more traffic accidents and fall hazards. Even though it only can reach speeds of up to 7 miles per hour, a fall can be dangerous, particularly a backward fall.  It is advisable to wear a helmet, elbow and knee pads to reduce the risk of injuries.

The Hendo Hoverboard

The Hendo was marketed as the “world’s first Hoverboard” and developed by Arx Parx.  The Kickstarter funded project raised $510,000.  The Hendo is recognized as the first attempt to make a truly levitating board.

It consists of electromagnetic coils that generate a strong magnetic field over a conductive surface made of copper or aluminum.  The magnetic coil generates small currents which in turn induce a magnetic field in the conductive platform.

Even though the Hendo can only levitate a few inches off the ground, the owners behind the technology believe it could be the future of transportation.  Arx Parx has been developing “magnetic field architecture” technology that would be more cost-effective than maglev trains.  Since the conductive platform does not need to be powered or to have an elaborate design, a transportation system based on this technology would be easier to implement on a large scale.

Additionally, the company is also looking at using the technology for biotechnology applications.  Since birds, insects, and some animals use the magnetic field to navigate, the company hopes to develop the technology so that it can be used for chemical-free controls of disease-causing insects and birds that damage crops.

Another version of a levitating board is the Lexus SLIDE hoverboard.  The device is designed to float on a skating park.  It generates a powerful magnetic field using superconductors that require liquid nitrogen.  The magnetic track locks in the hoverboard in place using two superconductors that generate a magnetic vortex.

Issues with Levitating Boards

• Battery Power: One of the issues with the levitating technologies like the ones used by Lexus (SLIDE) and Hendo is power generation. These hoverboards will only last for a few minutes after which they’ll have to be recharged again.
• Cost: Powerful magnetic fields need to be generated to ensure that levitation is possible. This means that expensive technologies such as the nitrogen-cooled superconductors that generate magnetic fields make the products too expensive for consumers.  The cost of these devices ranges from between $10,000 to $15,000.
• Maneuverability: Steering the hoverboard is an issue since the board has to be locked into the magnetic track underneath. If one moves from side to side both the Hendo and the SLIDE cannot maintain their stability.

The Origin of Hoverboard

The term “hoverboard”, according to Merriam-Webster, originated in the 1967 sci-fi novel The Hole in the Zero by M.K.  Joseph.  It describes a scene in the future where people are “hoverboard skating”.  The name would later appear in Texas Monthly magazine in the 1980s before being popularized by the Back To The Future trilogy.

Hoverboard, as used today, is a word that describes a number of technologies that attempt to recreate the device featured in sci-fi books and movies.

Self-balancing scooters are called hoverboards, but they are not by definition levitation platforms.  They have been described as “Segways without the handles”.  A hoverboard as promoted in pop culture movies like Back to The Future would be more of a levitating skateboard.

Even the Hendo and SLIDE hoverboards don’t fulfill the dream.  They only hover an inch or two off the ground, have limited power and range, and/or are restricted by their technology as to where they can fly.  They seem to have been developed as an attention-getting way of demonstrating technology with more commercial than personal applications.

Even though the innovations that are commercially available today do not strictly replicate the original idea, it still generates a lot of interest amongst enthusiasts and inventors today and keeps the dream alive.

BIO:

Charles Watson currently is the head content writer for Sunshine Behavioral Health.  While specializing in health and fitness, he craves to write about history also.  If you don’t catch him at a local Detroit Pistons game, you will find him reading updated material from his favorite author Tim Ferriss.