Hendo is a futuristic hoverboard whose design is inspired by the movie Back to the Future. The current prototype is the 18th model created by the California-based startup company Arx Pax.
Arx Pax brings this unique technology to the Kickstarter community and hopes to raise $250,000 for the campaign. There is also the Hover Engine developer kit, which is a 12-pound white box that contains the "hover" technology for $299. Buyers can use the technology found in the box and place it on anything that they wish to hover (although there might be some who would want their whole house to levitate).
The secret behind the hoverboard's levitation power lies in the board's four disc-shaped hover engines. A special magnetic field is created by these engines, which pushes against itself. This type of pushing generates the needed lift, which makes the board levitate from the ground.
The hoverboard was initially intended to be self-propelled. It is also possible to drive it forward by changing the projected force on the surface underneath.
In order for the hoverboard to work correctly, it must be used on a special type of surface. Currently, the hoverboard works on a non-ferromagnetic conductor type of surface. Any readily available metals that come in simple sheets would also work. The engineering team is looking for new compounds and new configurations in order to maximize the technology and make it cost-efficient.
The name Hendo comes from Greg Henderson, the hoverboard's inventor. He also co-founded the 19-person Arx Pax company with his wife Jill. The couple imagines that, in the future, the technology found in the hoverboard would be used to prevent buildings from getting destroyed -- by enabling them to be lifted from the ground when there are floods or earthquakes.
The couple also believes that the technology has the potential to be used in the transport sector; it could one day replace the current system used to levitate maglev trains.
The Hendo Hoverboard is not yet for sale. However, the company is giving up to 10 of its staunchest supporters the "production" versions of the hoverboard at a hefty price of $10,000 per piece. This is also the highest amount that people can pledge on Kickstarter.
Henderson says that the price will eventually go down. At present, he is more interested to offer the core technology to those who may have a better idea and purpose in using it.
