Real World
Several companies have drawn on hovercraft technology to attempt to create hoverboard-like products but none have demonstrated similar experiences to those depicted in the movies.
Rumors circulated in 2001 that inventor Dean Kamen's new invention, codenamed Ginger, was a transportation device resembling the Hoverboard. In reality Ginger was the Segway Human Transporter, a self-balancing two-wheeled electric transportation device.
In 2004, Jamie Hyneman and his team built a makeshift hovercraft for MythBusters, dubbed the Hyneman Hoverboard, from a surfboard and leafblower. However, Jamie's hoverboard was not very effective.
In 2005, Jason Bradbury created a "hoverboard" for The Gadget Show, using a wooden board that was levitated by means of a leafblower. The original design was not propelled and could also not be steered. In 2009, a second version was made which was propelled/steered by a small jet engine (rather than a fan as with an air boat), and also contained 2 (more powerful) leafblowers.
In 2010, Angie Greenup, Marc Horowitz, and Chad Zdenek made another "hoverboard" for It's Effin' Science, from a wooden board and a leafblower.
French artist Nils Guadagnin has created a hoverboard that floats by magnetic repulsion between it and its base but cannot carry a load. The board includes a laser system which ensures stabilization, in addition to an electromagnetic system which makes the levitation possible.
In October 2011, a French university presented the "Mag surf", a superconducting device which levitates 3 cm above the ground and can carry up to 100 kg.
In 2012, the toy company Mattel, which was fictionally depicted as the manufacturer of the hoverboard in the Back to the Future series, announced it would be retailing a replica version of the hoverboard that would be able to "glide" instead of hovering. Mattel unveiled two prototype mockups of the Hoverboard replica to spur pre-sales for a November 2012 release. Mattel designers met with Back to the Future creator Bob Gale, who allowed them to measure and document the original Hoverboard movie props that he provided on his visit.
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