Friday, June 26, 2015

Back to the Future: Lexus Introduces A Hoverboard

It's not just a hoverboard, it's a Lexus hoverboard.
Or something.

From the Lexus blog:

Lexus Hoverboard: Amazing in Motion

A Lexus has always been a vehicle that rides on wheels, in contact with the ground. Until now. This summer a new Lexus takes flight, bringing the stuff of science fiction closer to real world fact.
lexus amazing in motion slide
Lexus has worked with experts in super-conductive technology to create one of the most advanced Hoverboards the world has seen. The concept is the fourth project in its Amazing in Motion campaign, demonstrating its commitment to pursuing new possibilities in advanced design and technology.

Mark Templin, Executive Vice President, Lexus International, said: “At Lexus we constantly challenge ourselves and our partners to push the boundaries of what is possible. That determination, combined with our passion and expertise for design and innovation, is what led us to take on the Hoverboard project. It’s the perfect example of the amazing things that can be achieved when you combine technology, design and imagination.”

The Lexus project team has used magnetic levitation with liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors and permanent magnets to give the Hoverboard frictionless movement of a kind that had been thought impossible.

Although a completely different form of transport, the Hoverboard shares design cues with today’s Lexus cars, including the signature spindle grille. It has also been made using some of the same materials, both high-tech and natural, such as bamboo....MORE

HT: IEEE Spectrum