Existing hoverboard technologies...

There are existing hoverboard technologies but they are not in any way similar to the depiction of Mattel's hoverboard.

- Kevin Inkster's 'Airboard' -

This is taken from the Arbortech website;

"I was inspired after watching the movie 'Back to the Future' seeing Michael J Fox riding on a hoverboard several years ago and wanted to make something similar that was fun to ride...

...they don't look like Mattel’s hoverboards at all, but the hoverboard depicted in that movie served as an inspiration to me..." - Kevin Inkster, Airboard inventor/developer

The Airboard will operate just like any other hovercraft, supported and propelled by a cushion of air. Developers of the Airboard say it will initially be available at theme parks, but it has already made an appearance. During the opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics, Inkster showed off the Airboard by riding it around the stadium.

- An 'Airboard' in action -

The reason for the absence of hoverboards such as Mattel's fictional example are that there are some major funtional and practical problems with constructing a board in this design. The difference with the Airboard is that it can support not only itself but also any change in the users weight distribution because it is balanced equally. With Mattel's board there is no way of defusing any excess weight distributed to the edges of the board so it would always topple over to the side or front. So currently my idea is not possible!

Home-made hoverboards have been contructed however. According to The Gadget Show (Channel 5) hoverboards can be made at home DIY stylee for as little as £150, but as the picture (below) shows it's not really anything like what I'm looking for.

- Home-made for £150 -

The closest similarity to Mattel's device, visually speaking would be this home-made hoverboard(see picture below). It is 5ft in length and 2ft wide, uses a 6hp, 4-stroke petrol engine which spins a propeller to force air under the board. It can apparently support a 200lb rider and uses hand-held controls to manouver the hoverboard.

- DIY hoverboard example -

Definately food for thought...