The term "hoverboard" refers to two kinds of gear:
a skateboard without wheels that levitates a few centimeters from the ground.
By extension, and erroneously, hoverboards are also called two-wheeled gyropods equipped with electric propulsion.
The hoverboard of Back to the future 2
The concept of skateboarding without wheels was popularized by the movie Back to the Future 2 in which the hero, Marty McFly, moves on a hoverboard that floats in the air. In reality, several experimental and commercial projects have sought to create a functional hoverboard.
In 2011, the Paris-Diderot University demonstrated a flying surf prototype thanks to the principle of superconductivity. The board was filled with rolls of superconducting material and a tank of liquid nitrogen. Result? The hoverboard floated 2 to 3 centimeters high along a rail containing a magnet.
In 2014, the Hendo Hoverboard was touted as the first truly marketable model. Based on a magnetic levitation technology, the machine had to evolve on a special floor. After several prototypes, the final model was still not available in 2016. That same year appeared the ArcaBoard, a hoverboard equipped with 36 electric motors equipped with propellers that deliver a power of 272 horsepower and a push of 1.913 newtons. This big board, which can fly 50 cm from the ground at a speed of 20 km / h, was sold at more than 13,000 euros.
Do not confuse hoverboard and Segway
The term hoverboard also refers to two-wheeled gyropods with electric propulsion. These means of transport for urban use are controlled by the movements of the body by ensuring the balance of the standing passenger by gyroscopic stabilization. It has a physical contact with the ground, which goes against the principle of the hoverboard.
Reference Sites:
(https://a-killing-stalking.tumblr.com/post/172373127233/the-story-of-the-hoverboard-how-was-this-gadget)
(https://bestvela.kinja.com/what-is-hoverboards-guide-for-beginners-1827942504)