Real self-lacing shoes make debut
PUBLISHED ONNovember 18, 2014 9:51 AM
SINGAPORE - Just last month, when we reported about the hoverboard, we mentioned how the Zubits Magnetic Shoe Closures - though not self-lacing - make putting on and taking off shoes easy.
Now, it seems that some folks in Canada have successfully made self-lacing shoes similar to those seen in Back To The Future Part II.
The Powerlace advanced auto-lacing shoe technology started its Kickstarter funding on Saturday, with a very lofty goal of C$650,000 (S$746,000).
The shoes' lacing system is automatically engaged when the foot is inserted into the shoe. The project, by Frederick Labbe and The Powerteam, uses just the wearer's body weight, and requires no batteries. To release the laces, the user just have to step on a lever at the rear of the shoe.
The team also said that there are no motors, springs, or gears in the shoes.
The shoes are going for C$175 a pair for "early bird" backers, and go up to C$195 a pair. At that price, we would need over 3,000 backers for the project to be funded.
Currently, the project offers only tennis-shoe style black shoes with bits of orange, green, blue or grey. They also come only in men's sizes.
The team said that they hope to ship out the shoes in May, next year.
With the hoverboard and, now, self-lacing shoes, 2015 is turning out to be a year to look forward to for Back To The Future fans. Now, we just have to wait for announcements about flying cars and a mini nuclear-fusion power generator.
sinsh@sph.com.sg