Ever since Marty McFly pulled on a pair of Nike Air MAGs in 1989's Back to the Future Part II, sneakerheads have dreamed of self-lacing trainers.
Read more: Nike's 'Back to the Future' self-lacing trainers help raise $6.7 million for Parkinson's research
For Tiffany Beers, it's more than a dream. She joined Nike's Innovation Kitchen in Oregon in 2004 to work under design guru Tinker Hatfield. The following year, Hatfield - who had conceived McFly's shoes, albeit using Hollywood trickery - tasked Beers with making them a reality.
"After we built a prototype in 2007, we realised the technology wasn't small enough," Beers, 37, recalls. By 2011, developments in lithium-ion batteries, miniature motor arrays and new materials meant it was finally possible.
The HyperAdapt 1.0, out this autumn, is the culmination of a decade's work. The shoe features a motor system in the sole, powered by a rechargeable battery. A sensor in the heel adjusts the laces based on the wearer's weight and foot shape.
The fit system, dubbed EARL (electro-adaptive reactive lacing), was tested hundreds of times, including with pro athletes. And the laces? "We used fishing line," says Beers. "We couldn't find anything else that surpassed it. It does a great job."
It's by no means flawless: the laces need releasing manually, for example. "It's like a concept car, it's not perfect," says Beers. For her, the shoe marks the end of a journey - and a step towards the future of reactive clothing. "I don't know if I've ever been more excited about shoes."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
