footwear
Latest
Adidas will sell more shoes partially made with ocean trash
In honor of tomorrow's Earth Day celebrations, Adidas is unveiling yet another collaboration with Parley, an organization that focuses on protecting oceans from being polluted. This includes three new models of its flagship running shoe, the original Ultra Boost, Ultra Boost Uncaged and Ultra Boost X, all of which feature a Primeknit upper made mostly (95 percent) from marine plastic debris. Adidas says about 11 bottles of plastic were used for each shoe, with the set being part of the company's overall commitment to sustainability. All in all, Adidas plans to make at least one million more pairs like these by the end of 2017.
Adidas Futurecraft 4D shoes: The fourth dimension is hype
Adidas is getting serious about turning its 3D-printed concepts into consumer products. Last week, the sportswear giant revealed Futurecraft 4D, a sneaker designed partially with a manufacturing technology called Digital Light Synthesis, which creates 3D objects by mixing light and oxygen with programmable liquid resins. According to Carbon 3D, the Sillicon Valley firm who developed it, this process is capable of making "durable, high-performance" 3D parts, unlike other conventional 3D printing methods. In this particular case, that was used to make and shape the shoe's midsole, while the upper is made out of Adidas' Primeknit material.
These connected shoes could help you run faster, smarter and more safely
Power laces and 3D-printed materials aren't the only things shaping the future of footwear. If Sensoria and Vivobarefoot have their way, people could soon be wearing shoes packed with tech to help them run faster, smarter and more safely. Here at CES, the companies revealed a pair of concept sneakers that feature two removable chips and four pressure sensors near the heel area. Not only can the system measure speed, pace and track you via GPS, but it's also smart enough to learn your stride rate and foot-landing technique.
Nike designers on self-lacing shoes and the future of footwear
Tinker Hatfield and Tiffany Beers, the designers behind Nike's Mag and HyperAdapt 1.0, joined us on stage at CES 2017 to talk about how these self-lacing sneakers came to life. They also discussed how 3D-printed materials could shape the future of footwear, since we're seeing more of the technology being used for prototypes and models that end up making it to retail. As for what's next for HyperAdapt, Hatfield and Beers wouldn't give any details away, but they did say the 2.0 and 3.0 versions are already in the works.
Nike's senior innovator on the challenge of designing a self-lacing shoe
With the 2016 Mag and HyperAdapt 1.0, Nike turned its idea of self-lacing shoes into a reality in 2016. And who better to talk about this than two of the masterminds behind the project, Nike Senior Innovator Tiffany Beers and Vice President of Design & Creative Concepts Tinker Hatfield. In case you're not familiar with Hatfield's work, he designed some of the most popular Air Jordans, as well as the sneakers from Back to the Future Part II. Beers, for her part, led the team that built Nike's Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing technology. Tune in to watch our conversation with them tomorrow at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET, live from Engadget's CES Stage.
Taking a walk in Adidas' 3D-printed running shoes
It's hard to believe it was only last year when Adidas revealed its first 3D-printed shoe concept. But the German sportswear giant is moving fast with its Futurecraft project, a collection of innovative footwear that also includes biodegradable sneakers. The latest in this line is the Adidas 3D Runner, which features a midsole and heel tab created from 3D-printing materials. Primeknit, the same fabric used on Three-Stripe models such as the Yeezy and Ultra Boost, makes up most of the rest of the silhouette.
Adidas' latest 3D-printed running shoe will cost you $333
3D printing has proven to be useful across many different areas, including the creation of lifestyle products for consumers. Adidas, for one, began toying with the idea of 3D-printed footwear in recent years, which led to the introduction of its Futurecraft 3D concept in 2015. But the German sportswear company doesn't want to stop there. Today, it announced that it will be selling a 3D-printed running shoe for the first time, albeit in limited-edition form. Not to crush your enthusiasm early on, but these are going to be hard to get.
Adidas made an ocean-plastic shoe you can actually buy
Late last year, Adidas teamed up with Parley, an organization raising awareness against ocean pollution, to design a partially 3D-printed shoe made from up-cycled marine plastic. Then, in 2016, the two companies took that partnership one step further with the limited-edition Adidas x Parley, a running sneaker that also featured materials created from ocean waste. Ultimately, both of these concepts pave the way for what the sportswear giant is announcing today: the UltraBoost Uncaged Parley.
Adidas rewards its medal-winning Olympians with 3D-printed shoes
It's too early to tell whether 3D-printed footwear will ever be more than a gimmick. Still, you have to give credit to sportswear brands for trying something new, even if in some cases 3D printing is only used to make outsole prototypes. Last year, Adidas began showing the potential of the technology with concepts like Futurecraft 3D, a running shoe made partially out of 3D-printed materials. And now the company's taking that one step further: it created a ready-to-wear pair for its sponsored athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As its name suggests, though, the "3D-printed Winners Shoe" will be limited to those who win a medal in Brazil.
Adidas will bring its robot-staffed factory to Atlanta in 2017
Late last year, Adidas announced plans to bring shoe production back to Germany starting in 2016. With that in mind, the company created a new manufacturing facility staffed by robots, known as Speedfactory. Along with setting one up in its native country, Adidas also revealed there would be a separate Speedfactory in the US, slated to open in 2017. Today, the sportswear giant shared more details about this project, announcing that its Stateside production facility will call Atlanta home. The 74,000-square-foot space is set to be fully functional by the end of next year, and Adidas says it aims to make 50,000 pairs of running shoes there.
New Balance's rare 3D-printed running shoes cost $400
Late last year, following in the footsteps of rival Adidas, New Balance introduced its first 3D-printed running shoe. But the company didn't share many details back then, other than revealing the footwear's existence and teasing and eventual release. Thankfully for people who are interested, New Balance has announced that the Zante Generate will be available to consumers on April 15th, albeit in extremely limited form. There are only 44 pairs total, so you'll have to act fast if you want one.
E-paper sneakers change your style on the fly
If you're the sort to buy multiple pairs of sneakers just to make sure your footwear is always fashionable, you might soon have a way to save a lot of money. David Coelho is crowdfunding ShiftWear, or sneakers that have color e-paper displays in their sides. You only need a mobile app to change your look at a moment's notice (there are promises of a shoe design store), and you can even use animations if you're feeling ostentatious. The shoes are machine-washable, and the e-paper consumes virtually no power if you're using static imagery -- there's even talk of walk-to-charge tech that would save you from ever having to plug in or swap batteries.
These smart shoes vibrate to point you in the right direction
One of the best uses for wearable technology is to help you get around without being hunched over your smartphone. Google Glass and smartwatches do this, but you're still staring at a screen instead of enjoying the scenery. That's all set to change thanks to an Indian company that wants to put navigation equipment in your shoes. The Lechal interactive haptic footwear hooks up to your smartphone and when you reach a junction, vibrates the left (or right) foot depending on which turn you need to make. The gear is expected to launch in September, and you'll be able to choose between full shoes or just insoles that'll fit inside your regular pair of kicks. You can register your interest on Ducere's website right now, and can expect to pay $150 for a pair -- hopefully a portion of which will go to the creators of Red Dwarf, who came up with a similar idea 26 years ago.
Light up your Converse All-Stars with Adafruit's DIY tutorial (video)
If you missed out on the L.A. Lights craze of the early '90s, fear not -- there's hope for you yet. Adafruit's DIY enhancement for Converse All-Stars takes customized kicks to a whole new level with the science of electroluminescence. To light up the star on your Chucks, all you need is a pair of EL panels, tiny inverters (like a coincell or AAA battery type), some common household tools and half-way competent sewing skills. So, if you want to add some flash to your footwear and become the coolest kid in school, check out Adafruit's simple tutorial, embedded after the break.
These boots were made for talkin': O2 teams up with artist for 'walkie talkie' footwear
Sorry, Ms. Sinatra, but the headline parody was all too obvious to ignore. As part of its mobile device Recycle program, which allows users to trade in old handsets for cash, British telco O2 has commissioned local designer Sean Miles to give discarded featurephones a new lease on life. The end result? Four footwear designs - made from the likes of Christian Louboutins, Nike Airs, Hunter Wellingtons and a classic Brogue men's shoe -- replete with a fully functional phone embedded in the sole. We know exactly what you're thinking: Why would anyone want to hold a shoe to their face? Whether it's for the love of the arts, a penchant for public ridicule or a closer whiff of the ground below, we can't say for sure. What we do know is that this truly "mobile" kit(sch) will be up for auction later in March at a planned exhibition. But that won't be the last you'll see of Miles' unholy meshing of tech and apparel -- the artist also plans to branch out into gloves and handbags as part of the fuller O2 Recycle Collection. You paying attention, Weird Al? This one's for you!
Electrowetted insoles charge your strut, The Police stand by for music licensing deal
Every move you make is another ten watts you waste. Which is why researchers at InStep NanoPower are working towards taking that spring in your step, and turning it into juice for your gadgets. Flipping the process of electrowetting on its head, whereby mechanical energy is converted into electricity via a microfluid transfer, the team was able to pound some pavement-generated milliwatts out of mercury and galinstan. The tech is far from a real world debut, with its practical, portable device-powering merits achievable only in theory. So, until this device manages to get off the ground, we're going to lump it in with past piezoelectric efforts, and call it like it is -- pics, or it didn't happen.
The Xsens ForceShoe watches your step, helps you walk better
The technology-laden Xsens ForceShoe might better be described as a sandal. However, if you're the type of bipedal perfectionist who wants to analyze your gait using an array of 6DoF force sensors and magnetic trackers (not to mention that cunningly-disguised wireless data transmitter), then the chances are your toenails can also stand a bit of scrutiny. In fact, although the ForceShoe is primarily designed for physio patients, we think its inventors at the University of Twente might just have stumbled upon the next-gen Nike+ accessory we've all been waiting for. Unfortunately they're not on sale, but if you're a researcher looking to measure the orientation, acceleration, angular velocity, force and torque of your feet in three dimensions, you're welcome to hop past the break for the full press release.
Custom Illuminated Confusion Nikes light up the streets, your life
Personally, we'd prefer slipping our feet into the WiFi-detecting Nike Dunks if given a choice, but it's hard to argue with the smooth factor bundled with the highly customized kicks shown above. Dubbed Illuminated Confusion, the shoes feature a pattern print with "neon green light-up lateral sides that either blink or glow." The lighting on each shoe gets powered by a single AAA cell, and you'll even get a free "custom box" with you order. And considering the $400 price tag and two to three week wait time, we wouldn't expect anything less. Vid after the jump.
Good Vibrations shoes pack built-in rumble feature
Now that you're packing a cellphone with a vibrating touchscreen, have glasses that rattle your brain if you try to get a bit of shut-eye, and nod your head to the beat of your rumbling headphones, why not put a little shake in your shoes, too? The cleverly named Good Vibrations might sport a website that was probably built in Marky Mark's heyday, but the kicks it sells claim to be therapeutic in nature. The thick-soled shoes feature a non-stick grip, on / off switch, and a rechargeable battery that reportedly provides around five hours of feet shakin' therapy. Designed to massage away the aches and pains throughout the day rather than after the damage is done, these unisex slip-ons are constructed with Spandex, lined with suede, and just might cause fits of laughter if you're the ticklish type. The Good Vibrations shoes are strangely available in just four sizes, leaving most of you with a bit too much (or too little) room inside, but for just about 60 bucks, the fun factor here is probably enough to put aside the fact that they aren't likely to fit.[Via AmericanInventorSpot]
Transformers bust out of Nike Free shoes
Just a few days ago, Transformers aficionados were likely elated to see the Optimus Prime iPod speaker dock, and now we've got one more option for you to add to your collection. Not too long after learning a few secretive details about the Nike Speed+ watch, now it seems that Convoy and Megatron are busting out of a pair of Nike Free 7.0 kicks, ready to rock and lace up their enemie. As the first two members of the Transformers Sports Label series, these items are actually half scale renditions of life-sized footwear, measuring around 6-inches in length but reportedly featuring all the same qualities of an actual Nike shoe. Interestingly, the two bots even rock a diminutive pair of Nike Free shoes themselves, but there's no word on if wearing these things actually gives you similar powers. Nevertheless, the inseparable set should start shipping by May, and while the standard edition will set you back $58.99, you might as well spring for the "Collector's Grade" for an extra four bucks.[Thanks, Yu-Ming]
