Nike's self-lacing sneaker: A first
Imagine: buttons on the sides of your sneakers that allowed you to tweak how tightly the laces are done; laces that can be held in a position, preventing them from being undone while running. If that sounds like something you would be interested in then the Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 sneaker is just for you.
The project’s technical lead – Tiffany Beers – explains that when you step into the shoe, your heel hits a sensor and the system automatically tightens. After wearing the sneaker a few times it will automatically adjust to your preferred tightness – much like a car seat that knows how close you like to sit to the wheel. Nike refers to this technology as “adaptive lacing”. Its lacing mechanism is said to be battery-powered, however, the life span of the battery and ways to battery life and ways to recharge it are yet to be announced.
There are, however downfalls to this innovation (as with all other technology) because its functionality is tied directly to technology. For instance, the reliability is not that great when compared to traditional laces because the laces are dependent on batteries which will need to be charged. Yes – you are going to have to charge these shoes just like you charge your phone and your laptop.
The product will be available in three colour variations; white, grey and black. The HyperAdapt 1.0 will be exclusively available to users of the Nike+ app. Luckily, you still have time to register.