The two wheeled self-balancing board commonly referred to as a “hoverboard” swept the nation in 2015. In actuality a “hoverboard” more closely resembles what Marty McFly rode in the movie “Back to the Future 2” but, I digress. Due to China’s lax patent enforcement the “hoverboards” true creator is unknown. We do know that Chic Robotics released the “Smart S1” in August 2014 and patented technologies associated with the board. Again, I say we do not know for sure because Shane Chen is also credited for inventing “Hovertrax” in 2013.
Now, that we know where the boards came from let’s see how they work. The wheels of the hoverboard house the electric motors and also contain a tilt and speed sensor. This detects the rpm and sends it to the speed controls located next to the wheels. For example the more your leaning forward, the faster the logic board tells the motor to spin to catch up with your body weight. The hoverboard reaches speeds between 6 and 12 mph.
There are an estimated 13 different versions of the “hoverboard” as each company calls the board something differently. Two of the more expensive hoverboards the “lo Hawk” and the “Phunkee Duck” range from $1,000- $1,800. As the market has become saturated and demand has increased the median price has dropped between $300-$500. The price drop still has the boards rather pricey but, the average Joe is now able to purchase one. In addition on a single charge the board can last up to three hours and can support weight up to 300 pounds
With anything that is mass produced without regulations there will be…u guessed it…”pit falls”. I believe the recent boards catching fire are a direct relation to high demand and an unregulated market. Like anything that is unregulated manufactures can simply cut corners but, my assertion is unproven. Of the cases reported a general cause i.e defect nor problematic brand has not been identified. We do know that the lithium ion batteries that are in the boards are highly volatile which could explain some of the explosions.
Many US cities have banned the riding of hoverboards in certain public places that include the airport and the mall. In New York for example the NYPD deems them as illegal and persons can be fined $200 for riding. At the opposite end of the spectrum effective Jan 1, 2016 a California law will allow hoverboards to be ridden in bike lanes and pathways. In addition most US Airlines have banned hoverboards on passenger flights.
The Weary Blues 