Combining a prototype Windows 8 tablet, a Kinect sensor and electric skateboard, this “Board of Awesomeness” is controlled by speech and hand motions.
According to our source, Slashgear, a design team called Chaotic Moon, that specializes in all brands of awesomeness, conceived of the board and put it together.
Using an electric skateboard, modified with all-terrain wheels, they attached a Kinect sensor bar to the front of the board and hooked it up to a protype Windows 8 tablet. The rider’s hand gestures and speech are then picked up by the Kinect and sent to an app called “Project Sk8” which in turn controls the board and changes speed accordingly.
Apparently, this board can hit a top speed of 34mph, which sounds like pure insanity to me. That’s faster than a bicycle or most slow moving cars. I sure hope you have a good helmet and knees pads at your disposal before you try reaching speeds like that.
Check out the video below to see what it’s like to ride this board around town.
I can’t help but feel that it must have been a mildly terrifying experience at first for the operator of the board. As awesome as it is, it also looks remarkably dangerous. I used to skateboard in the suburbs back in the day, but high traffic areas were never my piece of cake. At least I always had the option to bail; which was probably a luxury this guy never had.
Regardless, I’ll have to admit than the Board of Awesomeness is far more stylish than a Segway or other recent additions to personal transportation.
Be sure to also check out some updates from CES 2012, such as announcements from Microsoft and a Mystery USB charger by Griffin.
