Build your own hoverboard

That completely un-PhotoShopped pic totally convinces us that this is for real, but DesignNews has some rather spartan instructions (and yes, we realize these aren't the only ones out there) for how to make your very own hoverboard. Supposedly the Hovaboard (are they trying to piss off Jay-Z?) can achieve a vertical lift of 5 centimeters as long as you weigh less than 95 kg, and all you need are some boards, a lithium-ion battery, a motor controller, a segmented hovercraft skirt, and of course, a few ounces of love.

P.S. - Remember how there was always one kid at every junior high who was convinced that the hoverboards from Back to the Future 2 were real? No? Forget it.

[Via GadgetMadness]

[iota @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

When Back to the Future 2 came out, everyone in my school believed that hoverboards were real -- but they were only available in Texas. I don't know why Texas is the Hoverboard State, but even to this day I want to go to Texas to buy a Hoverboard.

[badly dubbed boy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

As the archetypal kid who, 15 years later, still gets ribbing from his school-mates about the fact he thought the hoverboards were real, I only have one justification.

I saw a TV interview with director Zemeckis who said the hoverboards were real. And if it's on TV, it's true. At least back in 1989. And besides, said interview is on the DVD!

Thank you for showing that I wasn't the only hoodwinked one. My therapy fees will plummet now.

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Not surprisingly, Snopes has a thorough write-up on this.

http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/hoverbrd.htm


Count me among the many believers. We didn't get Snopes back when I was in Junior High, and were therefore forced to believe everything.

[Rick Fletcher @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I don't know about this guy's version, but the whackjobs over at FutureHorizons (retailers of jetpacks, flying saucers, and yes, hoverboards) have demonstration videos of their model (down near the bottom of the page): http://www.futurehorizons.net/hoverboard.htm

Their scaled down hovercraft isn't nearly as cool as the movie's hoverboard. But it still looks fun.

[Urn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I was friends with that kid. He kept trying to tell us they were in California. Back then, everything cool was in California, and our Trapper Keepers were decorated to remind us of that fact.

[Socratic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

My 25-year-old roommate still thinks they're real. Swear to God.

[Tom Mathews @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I had a 1980's Popular Science magazine that detailed this backpack-motorized air-powered sled for moving appliances using pressurized air (through thousands of tiny holes). I figured if I strapped one of the sleds to a skateboard, I should be able to get a few mm's height off it.

I still get comments about that. But I just know it'd work. :)

[Douglas Lewis @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

just so everyone knows, hoverboards do exist. they have the same concept of a hovercraft except on a much smaller object. since they don't need to life the hole body of the hovercraft, they are also able to make the engine smaller. air flows around in the skirt of the board (best way to do it) and has to lift the board in order to escape the small space it is enclosed in. thus making the illusion of anti-gravity called hovering.

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

About your site when will it be up?
It still says "Launching February 2005".

[Robert @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I'm working on a hoverboard that uses electricity to hover. I have some small working devies. It has know moving parts, witch is a good thing. So if any of you have a question about it please email me at [e-mail] and i'll be glad to awnser them.

[Ricky @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Can I get the plans for it
thanks