Self-Lacing Sneakers Are Just The Beginning Of Going 'Back To The Future'

When Nike introduced the HyperAdapt 1.0 at its innovation event last month, sneakerheads and Back to the Future fans alike lost it. The self-lacing shoes use a technology called EARL (electro-adaptive reactive laces) that Jayce Wagner at Inquisitr says “uses digital sensors throughout the shoe to…adapt to each wearer for an unprecedented level of comfort as well as eliminating the need for tying one's shoelaces.” Additional buttons on the side of the shoes allow wearers to manually tighten or loosen them for a comfortable fit. This invention is just the beginning of tech-enabled footwear. As we continue to grow the Internet of Things and connect more and more objects to our smartphones, it is only natural that footwear will be one of them and that it will offer more individual customization options.