When Nike's HyperAdapt self-lacing shoes came out, most people were tempted to open it up to find out how it works. However, its $720 price is reason enough not to. Luckily, the internet makes it possible for people to see what's really going on in the futuristic shoes.
Breaking Down Nike HyperAdapt: The Self-Lacing Shoes with Wireless Communication Capacity?
Engineering startup Mindtribe provided a video of a tear up on the sneakers to see how the auto-tightening technology happens, Tech Crunch reported. The tear down shows that the shoes have a peripheral connector and a 3-pin header that doesn't have anything connecting it to the other end. It also has a mobile processor called ARM Cortex M4.
This could mean it is a modular system that has peripherals that would roll out later. The shoemaker company has also considered a future Nike+ integration. There are also possibilities that it would soon lead to a kinetic-powered system where battery gets recharged for every step that the wearer make.
What Else is Inside Futuristic Shoes
The sneakers have complicated laces that come with the lace stand-ins and the thinner "Flywire," which is connected to a mechanism that tightens the lace, Business Insider reported. Mindtribe also revealed that the laces are made of Vectran, which is a strong liquid crystal that is made of a substance that resembles that of a Kevlar. The trigger mechanism that tightens the lace when sensing the foot are found in the bottom of the shoes.
The LED found in the front and under the shoes are standard-issue lights. Mindtribe also removed the entire apparatus and saw what seems to be the usual innards of a device. Nike's HyperAdapt self-lacing shoes comes with 30,000 RPMs allowing it to lift up to 30 pounds.
According to Mindtribe, the main chip has various connections that could bring its capabilities even further.
