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Is This Hoverboard Real? — Parallax Forums

Is This Hoverboard Real?

Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
edited 2015-10-19 16:34 in General Discussion
Omni-Hoverboard_2-500x306.jpg

I found short animated GIF of this thing taking off one a webpage. (I can't figure out how to link to the single GIF so I removed the link.)

Initially I thought it was faked with a crane of some sort. After looking around a bit, I'm not so sure it's fake.

Here's the Webpage for the board.

Here's one of several videos I found.



There are a couple of photos of the board in the HackedGadgets forum.

I was originally going to add this to Phil's Tetrakaipentacontacopter thread when I thought it was faked but now I think it's interesting enough for its own thread.

I don't think I'm the only one who wants a Green Goblin glider. Maybe something like the Omni-Hoverboard will make this possible?

Edit: What I thought was a link to a single GIF was a link to a page of multiple GIFs. Not all were appropriate for this forum so I removed the link. The YouTube videos are much better than the GIF.

Comments

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    Got to have some serious batteries! One minute flight time: FAIL! :)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    If it is in the least bit real, we better get some legislation going on it. We've got FAA and Coast Guard (Dept of Transportation) concerns already. You can mess with airspace and navigable waterways all at once!

    Oh, I forgot the EPA and each states DNR - the poor fishes!!!!

    Two, Four, Six, Eight, we know how to regulate!!! :)
  • homosapienhomosapien Posts: 147
    Waterproof or single-use item?

    Any videos of when the operator loses control and goes upside-down?
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    Rough guess that the six motors would have to produce 40 lbs of thrust each. Is that possible? You'd have to carry the batteries in a back pack and spend a day charging them!
    I say design a glider and catch thermals. A minute is much too short.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2015-10-19 18:02
    There are 8 motors on the thing.

    I'm been told by several reliable sources, brushless motors can be submerged in water without harm. They should be rinsed with clean water afterwards but brushless motors are commonly used for submerged robots without any sort of waterproofing.

    A minute might not sound like a lot but I bet that was a long minute for the guy on the board.

    It this this is real, and I'm inclined to think it is, it's very cool IMO.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    After watching the video again, the ending sure makes it look real! (also the initial wobble at lift-off when the rider gets his "air legs" look realistic)

    Yes, I have a feeling it would seem like a long first minute!
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    This video is on Guinness World Record channel. I'm just about convinced it's for real.



    Very cool. I wonder if it will ever be practical.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    edited 2015-10-19 20:11
    Google images of Martin Jetpack, and you get an idea of the minimum ducted fan area for lift.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Jetpack says 150kw with a 320kg pack weight & a 30~50 mins range.
    omnihoverboard Video says 40HP, for essentially passenger-only weight, so that is in a similar ball park.

    I like the over-water-testing detail, with a shallow water landing to stop the motors !!

    Of course, the company will sink under the weight of lawyers soon enough....
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    Duane Degn wrote: »
    Very cool. I wonder if it will ever be practical.

    Bungee Jumping is not practical, but generates many millions of dollars every year.
    This has more appeal than Bungee, and lasts longer too.

    I'd say it is practical already, for adventure tourism :)

    Just needs a shallow lake, and some improvements in the safety shrouds & sensors...


  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    I ran the numbers for something like this a while ago. Those motors are probably an 80cc to 100cc equivalent, and would produce about 40lbs of thrust each, or about 240lbs total. Brushless motors, as long as the solder connections are sealed, handle water without issue. You have to rinse salt and debris off them so they don't rust or get damaged, but otherwise there's no problem. The rest of the electronics and wiring would need to be sealed, but that's not overly difficult.

    Stability wise, it'd be very much like a quad / segway / etc - it's a pretty classic inverted pendulum problem, so control wouldn't be too terribly hard.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2015-10-20 15:35
    JasonDorie wrote: »
    Stability wise, it'd be very much like a quad / segway / etc - it's a pretty classic inverted pendulum problem, so control wouldn't be too terribly hard.

    This also crossed my mind. It would probably have a lot of similarities to this cool Sideway skateboard type of Segway.



    Very cool way to get around.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    Looks real to me. The Hiller flying platform proved that having the thrust under you was a naturally stable way to fly.

    Very inefficient and terribly dangerous, but looks like a lot of fun. I'd do it. Put a handle on it and I'll bet anyone could control it.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    JasonDorie wrote: »
    Brushless motors, as long as the solder connections are sealed, handle water without issue. You have to rinse salt and debris off them so they don't rust or get damaged, but otherwise there's no problem. The rest of the electronics and wiring would need to be sealed, but that's not overly difficult.

    The Blue Robotics thrusters run in water just fine. It would not be difficult to optimize those motors for repeated water operation. The biggest problem that I see is the thermal shock - that can't be good for them.

  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629


    I watched this guy the other night on Discovery channel. Pretty cool device.
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