Sure, it’s not as futuristic looking as the Nike MAG sneakers featured in Back to the Future, but Powerlace’s auto-lacing shoe technology is just as cool. Simply put, their engineers designed sneakers that use highly-resistant cables to hold your foot in place, which then triggers a mechanism that locks into place at a tension level set by a pull tab on the outside upper section. The tension in the laces can easily be adjusted by moving the lace lock. Continue reading for a video, more information and the Kickstarter link.
Expected to launch in 2015, Powerlace employes a thermo polyurethane sole to serve as support for the mechanism as well as an anchor for the lever that unlocks the mechanism. Once the pressure is released from the laces, the tongue opens right out. They’ve tested it for 200,000 lacing cycles to simulate real world use, meaning that this mechanism will be fully operationalfor 68-years if used four times a day. Kickstarter page.
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