The Newest Innovation in Sneakers

If you’ve ever watched the infamous ‘Back to the Future’, you probably grew up with big hopes and expectations for future technologies. The movie sported a number of amazing technological predictions of what the future would look like, all of which were iconic in both the movie world and in what people hoped the future would actually have.

Amongst the various inventive, exciting technologies within the film, one item that stood out as one of the greatest examples of innovation in sneakers is Marty Mcfly’s Nike MAG shoes, also known as magnetic antigravity shoes.

The shoes stood out as a huge trademark for the film, and sneaker fans worldwide hoped for shoes as innovative as Marty McFly’s self-tying sneakers. Although we have yet to see a pair of self-tying sneakers similar to the iconic pair in ‘Back to the Future’, here are some of the most innovative sneakers to date!

The Greatest Innovation in Sneakers – Self-Tying Sneakers!

The sneakers featured in ‘Back to the Future’ were iconic mainly due to the fact that they were from the top shoe company and brand in the world, Nike, but not only that, were self-tying!

A huge issue with sneakers is that a lot of people hate the tedious work of having to tie or double-tie them and can’t stand when their laces get dirty. Having the self-tie option like that featured in the famous futuristic movie showed audiences that there is hope for a more convenient and easier future for shoes.

Many years after the movie adaptation of what they envisioned “future shoes” to look like, Nike finally made a shoe with a self-tying feature! The Hyper Adapt 1.0 is a pair of innovative sneakers that feature pressure sensors in the sole that can sense when the user’s feet are inside the shoes in order to trigger automatic lacing.

Similar to the pair features in ‘Back to the Future’, these shoes also feature an integrated LED that also serves as a way to tell the user that their shoes are running low on battery or are too much of a tight fit. Although the shoes are battery-powered and require charging, one charge can last up to two weeks.

The Smart Shoe

Amongst the many different kinds of shoes to buy, at some point everyone finds themselves searching for the perfect pair of gym sneakers. Although the culture and growth behind tracking personal health and physical activity are very prominent within smaller gadgets and technology, there have always been arguments over whether these gadgets are as accurate as they market themselves to be.

Under Armour, has taken the initiative to create a smart shoe that can accurately track the user’s full physical activity and movement.  The ‘UA HOVR Connected’ is a new innovation in sneakers in which built-in sensors record and track several important metrics such as pace, distance, steps, stride, and more.

Although this technology might not be as popular for casual sports players or gym goers, these innovative sneakers are perfect for dedicated runners or gym enthusiasts who need to track their steps or distances to reach specific health goals.

The most interesting aspect about these shoes is their ability to be synced with the ‘Map my Run’ app. This app can track and collect statistics regarding the user’s workout, allowing them to set goals and track how much longer they have to reach them.

The Innovation in Sneakers that Does It All

Originally starting out as a Kickstarter, The Digitsole is an innovative sneaker that can be described as a shoe for all. The sneaker is a type of smart shoe that does everything anyone would want, as it carries numerous features that expand the boundaries of what we consider innovation in sneakers to look and be like.

Amongst its numerous features such as accurate step and distance tracking, the shoes also track data for the user’s amount of force, fatigue, posture, and calories, providing more specific and detailed health insights and analytics than just the regular smart shoe would. Additionally, the shoe features Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity that can provide coaching and walking analysis to help the user keep track and awareness of how they walk.

The innovative sneaker carries a unique design where, although it is not “auto-lacing”, the shoe features no laces at all, but rather an “auto-tightening” feature in which the front part of the shoe can adjust to the user’s foot. The shoe is also waterproof, battery-powered, features cushion monitoring, and is capable of temperature regulation by heating the user’s feet through the heated insoles.

Pair your innovative sneakers with wearable technology in fitness! Such as the MAKO-Designed Kharaband.

If you have a great new invention idea and you’d like to learn more about this process, get in touch with MAKO today and visit our website to find out more. Or feel free to give us a call at 1-888-806-MAKO, and we can set you up on a call with our product strategist!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!