Nike has introduced its first self-lacing basketball shoes that can be controlled via a smartphone, the Adapt BB.
“Shoelaces: you had a good run. But we think we may have finally bettered you,” Nike said in a news release.
The shoes, specifically designed for basketball, have an intricate lace engine that neatly closes around the entire foot. The shoe’s ‘power laces’ automatically tighten or loosen with the touch of a button on the shoes or via an app.
The company says that the technology helps provide a “truly customized fit for every basketball player.”
How does the shoe work?
When a player puts the Nike Adapt BB shoes on a custom motor and gear train senses the tension needed by the foot and adjusts accordingly to keep the foot snug.
Players can input different fit settings depending on different moments of a game via manual touch or by using the Nike Adapt app on a smartphone. For example, a player can loosen the shoe during a timeout before tightening it up as they re-enter the game.
Nike has experimented with self-lacing technology in its footwear before though. In 2016, the company launched a range of automatically lacing HyperAdapt shoes.
The Adapt BBs are set to go on sale in February for $350.
