It’s impossible to talk about hoverboards without invoking a particular movie title, so we’re not even going to try: Remember that awesome scene from Back to the Future Part II? It’s one step closer to reality: A California startup just built a real, working hoverboard. Arx Pax is attempting to crowdfund the Hendo Hoverboard as a proof of concept for its hover engine technology — it’s not quite the floating skateboard Marty McFly rode through Hill Valley and the Wild West, but it’s an obvious precursor to the imagined ridable: a self-powered, levitating platform with enough power to lift a fully grown adult.I initially approached the floating pallet with caution, expecting it to dip and bob under my weight like a piece of driftwood. It didn’t. The levitating board wiggled slightly under my 200-pound frame, but maintained its altitude a mere inch or so without visible strain. Arx Pax tells me that the current prototype can easily support 300 pounds and future versions will be able to hold up to 500 pounds without issue. Either way, you’ll need to hover over a very specific kind of surface to get it to hold anything: The Hendo uses the same kind of electromagnetic field technology that floats MagLev trains — meaning it will only levitate over non-ferrous metals like copper or aluminum.
