Fans of human-powered transport can already choose between having both feet on a skateboard, or each foot in a rollerblade. If you're more into motorized self-balancing devices, though, you've been pretty much stuck putting both feet on a Segway-like hoverboard. That's not the case with Hovershoes.
Made by Chinese mobility company InMotion (which previously brought us the R2 self-balancing transporter), Hovershoes X1 is essentially two separate self-balancing hoverboards – one for each foot.
As can be seen in the video at the bottom of the page, this setup allows for some wacky maneuvers that wouldn't be possible with a one-piece unit. There's also another claimed advantage. "What's cool about them is that each one is self-balancing on its own, so the rider won't run into an issue where one foot dictates the movement of the other because they're hinged with a bridge," InMotion CEO Rose Wang tells us.
That said, from the looks of the product's webpage, it is possible to join them together via a rod-like attachment, temporarily converting them into the equivalent of a regular hoverboard.
Each 6-lb (2.7-kg) Hovershoe has a 250-watt motor powered by a 54-Wh battery, that should be good for a maximum range of 5 miles (8 km) per 1.5-hour charge. They have a top speed of 5 mph, can tackle grades of up to 9 degrees, and are able to support a maximum payload of 176 lb (80 kg). They're also IP65 waterproof, meaning they're dust-tight, and resistant to water projected by a nozzle.
Wang says that Hovershoes should be available by the end of July, at a suggested retail price of US$499.
Source: InMotion
