Self-lacing shoe. The product of the future foretold by Back to the Future part II is already a reality, as a pair of regular kicks and as a pair of working replica straight out from the movie.
However, it is only after seeing Hackmith-made self-lacing shoes that we become aware of the complexity and begin to appreciate the engineering that went into making self-lacing a reality.
That’s right, folks, the team over at Hacksmith Industries have designed and made their very own functioning self-lacing shoes.
Using a combination of Arduino board, a motor, 3D-printed parts, and after a butchering a pair of brand new kicks, a pair self-lacing shoes is born. And boy, it is pretty damn awesome. Well, almost damn awesome. The sole of each shoe need to be covered up. That’s the bit that gets me.
But hey, it is totally functional, albeit lack of the ability to sense the tightness of lacing. The important take away here is, the tech ain’t no child’s play. We can only imagine the complexity of Nike’s variety. Now, we need to see a real hoverboard and perhaps, an adaptable, self-drying jacket?
Images: YouTube (Hacksmith Industries).