Quick Facts
Biography
Shane Chen (born 10 February 1956 in Beijing, China) is an American inventor and entrepreneur based in Camas, WA USA. He is best known for inventing the self-balancing two-wheeled board, popularly known as the "hoverboard".
Early life and education
Chen grew up in Beijing, China and attended Beijing Agricultural University for a degree in agricultural meteorology. A difficult environment for starting and growing businesses in mid-1980’s China led Chen to immigrate to America in search of better opportunities.
Career and inventions
In 1988 he founded CID, Inc. (now called CID Bio-Science), to develop scientific instruments for plant and agricultural research. Specific products in the field included photosynthesis meter, a leaf scanner and a plant canopy analyzer. Chen sold CID in 2009 to become a full-time inventor of consumer products.
In 2003 Chen founded Inventist, Inc., a company he started as an avenue with which he could develop more mainstream ideas and inventions. Entering the retail marketplace in ‘03, Chen introduced the AquaSkipper, a human-powered hydrofoil watercraft. The AquaSkipper won many awards including being a finalist at ISPO BrandNew awards, and it was featured on The History Channel’s Modern Marvels as part of an invention competition. Next, Chen developed and patented a three wheeled scooter and licensed the design to RazorUSA in 2006.
Chen continued to develop other consumer products notably the Orbitwheel Skates, UltraDrainer, Lunicycle, Solowheel and Hovertrax.
He has ongoing problems with illegally made copies of his products, which are being produced and distributed worldwide out of China.
Solowheel development
In March 2010, the first Solowheel provisional patent application was filed. The Solowheel is a self-balancing electric unicycle, which uses gyro sensors to balance front and back.
The Solowheel won numerous awards including 2011 ISPO Bike BrandNew finalist in Munich, Germany and 2012 INPEX Invention Trade Show first runner up in Pittsburgh, PA. It has been featured on The Weather Channel and Bloomberg TV in 2011. In 2012 on MLB Fan Cave and The Doctors TV show.
Hovertrax development
In February 2012, a provisional patent application was filed for the Hovertrax. The patent was granted in 2014.
The Hovertrax was released to the public in 2013. The Hovertrax was the first self-balancing two-wheeled board of the type that become known as "hoverboards".