We are the creators of the Hendo hoverboard Ask Us Almost Anything!

Can I buy some stocks in your company?

We're flattered! We'll keep you posted.

Any plans to develop a version for dogs who also happen to be amputees?

Interesting question: we've yet to convince our office dog, Tippi, to ride the board (although she loves frolicking on the half pipe). We love to build things to help solve problems and help; almost anything is possible!

Thanks! Hopefully, my doggy will never need it.

We hope not too!

Obviously there is a lot of technical and scale problems to get past first, but in a dream world, how much do you think an hour of hoverboard rental in the park should cost?

It'd be nice if it was on par with other hardware sports like go-karting, but it will likely start out higher until we're able to bring the costs down.

Amazing product. I dreamed of a day this kind of technology might be invented. Two questions that will clear a lot of for me:

1. Does it work on every surface?

2. Does it function like a real skateboard in terms of speed (could I do a kickflip with it if I got enough speed)?

1. No, it doesn't work on every surface, but there are lots that it will work on. It's just a matter of efficiency.

2. Pretty hard to kickflip an 80+ pound board, but we'll work on it! We've had a few skaters in, and when it comes to tricks, the hoverboard is a whole new beast. That said, shove-its are a current favorite. We've also accomplished many a 900 (and then some).

You use a copper surface in the demo, right? What other surfaces can/could potentially work on? Will it ever work on, let's say, regular pavement?

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The basketball court paved with gold would work. Are you going to work on that? ;)

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I'd buy that t-shirt.

If I put this on my hand can I push things away like the force?

If the things you want to push away are conductive and diamagnetic, sure could!

How much of an influence was Back to the Future 2, and that Robert Zemeckis interview that got us all excited at the time where he said it already existed? Did you see it at the time?

1989 was a big year and a big influence. It wasn't just Back to the Future 2, it was the Loma Prieta earthquake, which is what started the search for ways to build better. The technology we used to build our hoverboard is something we want to develop into earthquake proof foundations. It was only recently that I saw the Robert Zemeckis interview.

You made it to the front page of the BBC (snapshot)! Is this a serious commercial product - it seems to have very restricted use?

The hoverboard itself might be viewed as having limitations, but we're looking at utilizing the core technology of it lots of other applications.

I'm going as Marty Mcfly for Halloween this year, there's not a chance you can send me one? Just for the sake of accuracy haha

Great question. Love the sentiment! Check back with us next Halloween when we are in full production.

Any thoughts on the Oculus Rift blowback from the kickstarter funders when it sold a year later? What's your plans for the future?

Our plans for the future start with putting this technology directly in your hands with the developer kits.

We want you to help us solve the problems we do not know exist and to help us solve the problems we already know about like...

the last mile challenge of mass transportation factory automation maglev assisted take off the space elevator

Have you thought of using the technology for warehouse trolleys? All I can think when I see the device is that episode of Futurama. The one where they have that Hover trolley for carrying pillows on the super gravity planet.

Are there any other applications you're looking to use the technology for? What's the future development roadmap look like?

Warehouses are absolutely an area where we envision this technology being useful. Factory floors too. Imagine being able to assemble a piece of high value equipment on a special hover pallet, and then use that pallet to move that equipment around the space. Then imagine being able to activate that hovering pallet via the early warning system in the event of an earthquake.

How much weight can it hold? Are a Hover-car or hover-shoes possible with your design? If not, why not?

Anything is possible. We have prototypes that can hold up to 500 pounds. Jill is looking forward to Hover-shoes the most. Our goal is to hover building though.

By the way, imagine being able to reconfigure groups of building. Or being able to move a building to follow the sun for more efficient passive cooling and heating. Apple's new spaceship headquarters is a perfect candidate. If you're interested in this, let us know and we can send you more information.

Or shipping containers or vehicles that can be moved by individuals for more efficient storage, without heavy machines... sounds amazing. I wonder what the other applications are for agriculture and food shipping, with 50% being lost due to rotting or just spilling. Greenhouses that turn to face the sun though. Very exciting.

Exactly. Right on. Great thinking.

How much power does it require per unit weight and what is the maximum speed?

Also, I estimate the power requirement for your board to be in the 2 KW neighborhood based on your battery pack size and run time, is this correct?

We're operating around 40 watts per kg. We've not been able to verify our max speed yet as our test area isn't large enough (it's going to be fast). Our current hoverboard run time is about 7 minutes with a single rider, we leave the math to you.

This is amazing work, guys!

I'm curious about the material on the ground/panels. Do you think sidewalks could be paved with it someday?

Absolutely! But beyond that, there's already IP (intellectual property) for things like conductive concrete. Just for fun you should Google: graphene. This stuff is (in our humble opinion) the coolest stuff ever.

What sort of things are you most looking forward to being created with the dev kits you guys are offering?

Fantastic questions. That is what this is all about. We want to see the idea that no one here has ever thought of. Really, we're calling all curious minds! About the dev kits, you can expect an informative video from one of our engineers, Kyle, in the coming days on our Kickstarter page.

are there any risks involved with having a hoverboard?

There's always a risk in any sport, especially with something new like a hoverboard. We plan to create both black-diamond and green-circle boards.

What would be the difference? I'd imagine that they'd move at the same speed, right?

Not necessarily. With propulsion and control we can create a vehicle that can accelerate quickly and move at faster speeds, or have a version that travels in a more sedate and leisurely fashion.

How are you going to be able to steer it?

We already have the capability to alter the magnetic field architecture to generate propulsion and have control and stability. One of our current prototypes, the Manta Ray, demonstrates this. It is our intention to incorporate this capability into our production hoverboards. We are also releasing an enhanced version of our WhiteBox dev kit, the WhiteBox+ through our Kickstarter campaign that will have these propulsion and control abilities.

What was your inspiration?

When you come up with an idea and you realize how it can be done THAT'S powerful. When inspiration hits, grab it by the <insert word here> and ride it like a rented mule (no offense to mule lovers. Go Army!).

will it have anti-twitch technology?

we're working on it

Have you seen this video? Just a couple months ago, this was a lighthearted joke. But now, you are making it a reality. How does it feel to be creating one of the dream technologies that was once just a part of sci-fi pipe dreams?

It's pretty sweet. We were already testing our prototype hoverboard at that point, so it was crazy (and a little scary) to see the spoof video hit.

Are you targeting amusement centers, since it only works on copper? Awesome stuff. I hope to try it someday.

We are definitely targeting amusement centers, but is also works on materials other than copper. Aluminum is another readily sourced material that can be used.

What inventors do you look up to? Are their modern day Edisons (in the bad sense- strongarming competitors, buying/taking ideas to build a giant empire)?

This is Greg responding here -- Leonardo da Vinci. It goes all the way back to Archimedes. Nikola Tesla rocked!

When will it be released to the public? Also will it come out before 2015 of back to the futhre?

Our dev kits are coming out before the hoverboard. Yes, we'll make it in time for Marty McFly's arrival in 2015. But we have plans for stretch goals to release some other hover technology soon.

What has been the hardest part of the development process so far? And what was the most enjoyable one?

We have figured out a lot of ways how not to hover. When we tested our first working prototype, that was spectacular. Even better, was when Jill became the world's first hoverboard rider. It was really, sincerely, amazing.

Does it work upside down?

As in, can you suspend from the ceiling?

We love questions like this because it makes think. Is it? We'll get back to you.

Do you think apps/software have distracted a lot of bright designers from physical things? An innovative project that is physical, and groundbreaking like this, seems so much rarer. It used to be the only type of thing inventors worked on.

Hardware and software go best together. The sum is greater than the parts. It is refreshing, though, to be able to talk about and work on a hardware product.

You guys definitely need to make a hoverboard iPhone/Android game for marketing

Awesome idea! We're on it. Keep the ideas coming.

You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor... and would have different CONCLUSIONS written on it that you could JUMP TO.

That's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life, Tom. (and careful backing out of your garage)

How high does it lift?

The current hoverboard prototype has 1" of lift. Future version will have more (we're building one right now!).

Have you prepared for a lot of potential lawsuits?I imagine a lot of people are gonna get hurt.

You're right, just like any sport, there's risk.

Any plans to put this on cars, or hover shoes? How about a hover office chair?

Anything is possible. We have prototypes that can hold up to 500 pounds. Jill is looking forward to Hover-shoes the most. Our goal is to hover building though.

How many years do you think until it's a fully operational hover board like from back to the future. Also how do you guys get funding? Have you done like a kick starter?

However long it would've, it's going to be a lot sooner with the technology in everyone's hands. This is why we're offering dev kits as one of the rewards on our Kickstarter (www.hendohover.com/ks), which is currently has 51 days to go. Thank you to all our backers!