Ramping up the innovations of user interactivity, Zboard has come up with a new, more intuitive, way to control your electric skateboard. We’ve seen a lot of competition in the skateboard technology arena, lately. Metroboard, with their Wii wireless nunchuck. Chaotic Moon Labs, with their Kinect gesture-controlled Board of Awesomeness. Plus, a variety of other wired, pistol-controlled boards.
Zboard pushes it further. Unveiled at CES, they are offering what they say is the “world’s first weight-sensing electric skateboard”. Simplicity and logic is what makes this interface a more innovative experience. To get the board moving, the rider simply leans forward on the front foot pad. To brake, he leans on the rear foot pad. It’s great because it takes your hands out of the equation, more like traditional skateboarding using just your feet. That way, you’re not worrying about connection issues, getting a cord tangled on something, throwing yourself off balance with a gesture control, or losing a remote. It’s back to just you and your board.
The ZBoard features: 400 watts of motor power, lean-and-go control, and regenerative braking. The ZBoard Classic provides up to 5 miles (8 km) of range. Its top speed is listed at 15 mph (24 km/h). The lighter ZBoard Pro, with lithium-ion, takes you as far as 10 miles (16 km) on a single charge with speeds up to 17 mph (27 km/h).
The ZBoard is designed by Hermosa Beach, California-based Intuitive Motion Inc. The Classic retails for $599 and the Pro for $849. Both models are available for special pre-order prices, $499 and $749, until March 15. Deliveries begin in March.
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