Hoverboards: focal plane positioner for large-sized payloads

The ability to simultaneously position many 'large' payloads over the focal surface overcomes some of the potential barriers faced by future Extremely Large Telescopes. These devices, called Iloverboards' are currently capable of positioning payloads up to 3 kg over large focal surfaces (more than 3m). This is achieved by the combination of air pressure and vacuum forces, with either two or more Starbugs or stepper motors for precise positioning. Hoverboards could conceptually position compact deformable mirrors over the focal surface for implementing multi-object adaptive optics. Hoverboards could also position large fiber-based integral field units for multi-object spectroscopic surveys. We report on the development of a low-cost Hoverboard prototype suitable for flat and curved focal-plane surfaces for either the Giant Magellan Telescope or European Extremely Large Telescope.