Nike Patents Marty McFly’s Self-Lacing Sneaker

[Mayhem]

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/08/nike-patents-marty-mcflys-self-lacing-sneaker/

Nike has actually patented a self-lacing sneaker. This, you are no doubt just realizing, is completely frickin' amazing: It's entirely possibly that these shoes could actually be in stores in the year 2015, just like in the movie. This would be a weird, time-warping paradox so perfectly mimicking those in the Back to the Future movies that the world might possibly end.

That Nike has filed a patent for these things is mind-bending enough, but pretty much everything has made it in. The shoes will of course fasten themselves, but there are also LEDs a-glowing and a detailed breakdown of the batteries, circuits and control-systems. There is even a charging stand.

One problem Nike might have to face, though, is the existence of prior-art. Not only did the sneakers already show up in the movie, but just last month we saw that an enterprising hacker had made his own self-lacing shoes.

The patent can be found here : http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2009134858&IA=US2009042072&DISPLAY=STATUS

[gator8_24]

Just watched some of the series this week and hope the new shoes are not as clumsy looking! lol They would be handy for ppl with a handicap and can't tie shoes!  Bet they didn't think of a medical use!