Take a spin in these electric skates

Walking is so last decade. SpnKix battery-powered skates turn ordinary shoes into motorized mobility devices.

They're a little like rollerblades but without all that exertion and exercise. Powered by lithium batteries, users strap the SpnKix over their footwear and control their speed with a wireless remote control. They have a maximum speed of 10 mph, an electric range of approximately 2-3 miles, and take about two hours to recharge. All hardware and electronics are integrated into a frame made of fiber reinforced nylon.

Product designer Peter Treadway of JP Works has been developing this concept for the past five years and has built more than 30 prototypes.

That's where you come in.

By the end of January 2012, Treadway hopes to raise $25,000 on kickstarter.com to fund his project and begin production. Backers starting at $375 will get a pair of these electric skates, and supporters who pledge $950 or more will get a special edition pair with matte black wheels. If all goes according to plan, the first pair of SpnKix will ship around March 2012.