Lexus Hoverboard?

b/Hardware publicado por u/Dream of Omnimaga July 31, 2015, 06:32:50 AM

Lexus Hoverboard?

So apparently, Lexus, the car company, made an hoverboard:

http://www.appy-geek.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=2&articleid=45683566&source=facebook
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lexus-int.com%2Famazinginmotion%2Fslide%2F&redir_token=URQin_2_QbbPWB9dBdNqQ47SXi58MTQzODQxMDM5MkAxNDM4MzIzOTky

I am unsure if it's a late April fools joke, some sort of ad to one of their new cars or if it's actually real, but I am curious about how practical it will be if it's the latter? Apparently, it uses liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors and magnets. I'm not really familiar with the science behind this, but wouldn't the fact it uses magnets mean that the hoverboard will only work on metallic surfaces or would the liquid nitrogen help as well? And doesn't the latter get depleted over time?

Also wouldn't there be safety risks by holding it where those fumes in the video were escaping? If it's the case then I bet it will get banned from some countries.

In any case, though, it looks cool if it's real, and it was about time it happens

Last Edit: July 31, 2015, 06:35:32 AM by DJ Omnimaga

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u/Yuki July 31, 2015, 06:50:14 AM

Hey, it's 2015, it's like in this movie, Back to the Future II.

u/Dream of Omnimaga July 31, 2015, 06:59:51 AM

Yeah that was my thoughts when I saw this.

Even Nike is apparently working on auto-lacing shoes now (although they'll look different IIRC, unlike the ones in 2011 that didn't lace automatically).

An hoverboard that works on any solid surface for an hour would definitively rule, though

u/Unicorn July 31, 2015, 07:37:36 AM

If this is going to be a thing, kids most probably won't be able to afford it, and kids should be the target market for this.

u/Dream of Omnimaga July 31, 2015, 08:14:57 AM

Yeah it will probably be in the 4 digits in terms of price. I guess that rich kids will be able to afford it, but then comes the safety issue. I am fairly sure that if this gets the pass, then only people above 13 or maybe 18 will be allowed to use or buy it or kids will be required to use it under parental supervision.

u/Snektron July 31, 2015, 09:48:49 AM

Also it would be a bit unhandy to have to fuel it with liquid nitrogen all the time

(also i think that c can get quite expensive)
Anyway it's used to cool some metals (Wolfram (Tungsten) iirc) to a point where they start super conduncting, and they hover a certain hight above magnetic surfaces (actually, i think they reach a point where they don't have ANY electrical resistance).
They're cing awesome and probably the key to future transport and such, providing we can find a metal that doesn't need to be cooled to like -200 degrees celcius.

I saw an exposition about it in Leiden (boerhaave i think), since they were discovered there. I even got to touch one

u/Dream of Omnimaga July 31, 2015, 04:35:26 PM

I am not 100% certain that liquid nitrogen is available to the big public in the first place. And if it is then it's probably not in every country. Imagine someone buying the hoverboard, only to find out that there's no place where he lives that sells liquid nitrogen.

And nice Cumred.

u/Unicorn July 31, 2015, 05:51:49 PM

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on July 31, 2015, 08:14:57 AM
Yeah it will probably be in the 4 digits in terms of price. I guess that rich kids will be able to afford it, but then comes the safety issue. I am fairly sure that if this gets the pass, then only people above 13 or maybe 18 will be allowed to use or buy it or kids will be required to use it under parental supervision.

Yeah, or they create a kiddy one that drives itself when it gets out of control

u/Dream of Omnimaga August 01, 2015, 05:45:06 PM

I think that would be hard and the fuel required for propulsion would be expensive as hell. >.<

I think it should remain like a skateboard, but floating.

u/Snektron August 01, 2015, 05:47:53 PM

They will probably not be available to the public, but rather to companies so you can go "a day out hoverboarding" like you do with karting and such

u/Dream of Omnimaga August 01, 2015, 05:53:19 PM

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised, but again I think that very rich people will have access to it too.

u/Snektron August 01, 2015, 05:54:28 PM

Yeah or maybe professionals on an organized event.

u/Unicorn August 02, 2015, 06:07:44 AM

Oh yeah, like pro skating or something.

u/Dream of Omnimaga August 10, 2015, 05:48:09 AM

So yeah, this came out recently and like I expected, it only works on metal surfaces, but it was still cool nonetheless. THey should try to organize some tournaments.