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Our Attraction with the ‘Future’
First prize goes to Hendo Hover by Arx Pax.
Second place is awarded to SLIDE by Lexus.
While the interiors differ by way of a supercooling superconductor and the exterior designs differ in function versus luxury, the undeniable correlation between Arx Pax and Lexus is their dependent use of magnetism used to glide their respective hoverboard inches above the ground. Thus far, principles of physics have revealed magnets as the primary source of generating a hovering effect with a person riding a wheel-less skateboard above a metal/magnetic surface.
To create the illusion of a hoverboard Marty McFly might ride to perfect his riding and escaping skills, Lexus built a skate park in Barcelona, Spain with magnets underneath the surface and just below a sleek water strip. The promotional video for the company (which was devised to showcase its innovative prowess) will admittedly not lead to a hoverboard for purchase down the road (well, technically not for the “road”) or any further hovering parks. That’s a bummer.
Still, their finished product is pretty damn cool.
Arx Pax and Lexus clearly have the best taste in entertaining cinema and they also understand the wonderful power of dreaming big. We all wanted to travel to “2015” when we saw Back to the Future: Part II in movie theaters in 1989. Besides buying a pair of Nike power lace shoes (later this year!), wearing a power-drying jacket and getting our hands on “Grays Sports Almanac from 1950-2000,” we wanted a hoverboard. As our pop culture-driven scientists are in the alpha stage of developing an anywhere-anytime hoverboard, it’s exciting to be on any path that resides above the ground.
Every life-altering invention started somewhere stuck between limitation and doubt.
And then the future arrives…
The Pursuit of Levitation
Apparently, now is the right time to hover.
Scheduling my ride on the first-ever hoverboard last Friday was born out of availability and great airfare. It never dawned on me that the subsequent week would reveal the first glimpse of the world’s second hoverboard: SLIDE.
Utilizing similar principals of magnetism, the specialized design group at Lexus has dipped its toe into the water (well, technically in the air) of hover technology following Arx Pax and their pioneering Hendo Hoverboard. Still, the specific components between the Hendo and Lexus hoverboards are distinguishable enough.
“Lexus said the test hoverboard in its “Amazing in Motion” campaign generates magnetic levitation by combining the effects of liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors and permanent magnets” (USA Today).
Appearance wise, the hoverboard by Lexus is sleek and appears consumer-ready. Functionality wise, however, is still a lingering question. Looks like October 21st of this year will reveal that verdict, the same day Marty McFly quickly found out the answer to this question. Also, Hendo does not use liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors, which is important to note for a couple reasons. First, both companies have legitimate claims to creating original hovering technologies, however similar the role magnets are to flotation. Second, it’s wonderful to see there is more than one way to build a hoverboard.
The creative minds at Hendo and Lexus, developing this desired mode of transportation out of nostalgia for the future (it makes sense), are in the alpha stage. Envisioning what the beta stage and beyond will produce is exciting as reductions in cost (Hendo’s board costs $10,000), battery life improvements and infrastructure will undoubtedly become focal points of business plans going forward. Perhaps this leads to a small skate park with magnets built underneath in the next few years (Lexus did that for the video above), then a long pathway around a park and then Marty’s daring and boundless flight throughout a town square will be reality soon thereafter.
Except over water.
The power of movies (and love for the BTTF fan) is inspiring for many reasons. Despite living in 2015 without most of the cool advancements featured in Back to the Future Part II, those scenes have clearly made a permanent impression on fans and innovators alike as a future to strive for and build towards. That’s incredible. The sparks of innovation can literally come from anywhere.
And Lexus seems to be opening a future debate: Will consumers buy a luxury car or a luxury hoverboard?
They may be surprised by the answer.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 