Swegway: Back to the Future No More

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What do Jamie Foxx, Justin Bieber, Soulja Boy, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and Kendall Jenner have in common aside from being celebrities in their own right? They have, at some point in time this year, been seen riding in what could be best described as an incarnation of Marty McFly’s iconic hoverboard in the hit 1989 futuristic movie ‘Back to the Future’. While Swegway is far from the gravity-defying, levitating, very futuristic hoverboard that Michael J. Fox is known to glide on in the movie, it does feel like floating on air.

Back to the Future, Again?

The Swegway is the near-realistic interpretation of the hoverboard used in the movie. It balances itself quite well because of a fully-integrated gyroscopic sensor so that you will never have to worry about wipeouts the way you hit your behind the first time you tried on your skateboard or roller skates.

David Pierce of emerging technologies magazine Wired said that the Swegway is perhaps a result of the Zhejian University-associated Chic Robotics’ Smart S1 product that first gained public acclaim during the Canton Fair trade show in 2014. While Chic Robotics filed a patent for the design, owing to the country’s otherwise sloppy patent enforcement, a few more enterprising manufacturers illicitly copied the design and heavily saturated the Chinese market with Smart S1 knock-offs.

Hitting the US market was relatively easy. All it needed was a video post on Kendall Jenner’s Instagram and it hit viral proportions in record time. Next thing you know and Chinese hoverboard makers were already inundated with orders.

And why not?

Space-Age Technology Today

Many Swegway manufacturers have tried to outdo one another by integrating a few of modern man’s prized electronic devices into the self-balancing and self-propelled electric motor-driven board. Some have Bluetooth speakers and fully-integrated music players to allow a more unique riding experience.

With a modest yet remarkable range of around 20 kilometers on a full battery charge at a comfortable pace of around 10 kilometers per hour, the Swegway is nothing less than futuristic space-age technology that is here today.

Smart Features

The Swegway boasts of unparalleled self-balancing gyroscopic sensors that you can literally turn 360 degrees in place without ever suffering from vertigo and losing your balance. Its electric motor is not only energy efficient, it leaves very minimal environmental footprint as well, perfect for those who value nature and put a premium on reducing the negative effects of modern technology on the environment.

It’s compact and lightweight design can be conveniently stowed inside a purpose-built Swegway carry bag that can be slung across the body or on the shoulders. This gives it the versatility wherein you can literally take it anywhere you go, remove it from its carrying case, and drive your way to the office right from the parking lot.

The Perfect Holiday Gift

While the Swegway is considered one of the hottest gift items ever to grace the shelves this Black Friday that officially signals the start of the holiday season’s festivities, you will definitely have to place your orders because they sell more like hotcakes. If you have seen people lining up Apple’s official retail stores every time they announce the release of a new iPhone, the Swegway is anticipated to generate similar levels of demand from this season’s shoppers.

Order a piece of Back to the Future technology now for it has literally jumped from the big screen and into real life.

Credits

FloatingBoard.com – Hoverboards 
MySwegway.com – Swegway Boards
Tech Advisor – Which Hoverboard should I buy?
The Guardian – Move over cars, the Swegway is here. 

James Jacobs