Hands-free shoe tying is now a reality

Toddlers (and parents) everywhere can take a deep breath now that self-lacing shoes are under development and say sayonara to that “pull together the two bunny ears and wrap them around the tree” nonsense.

Powerlace, a Canadian startup, claims it has invented a shoe that automatically laces. Using their proprietary technology, a pressure plate in the heel of the shoe tightens it around the wearer’s foot, and also includes a level at the lower rear end to release the laces. In addition, the shoe incorporates an adjustment puller near the tongue to get the fit just right.

In a recent interview, Powerlace co-founder Frederick Labbé said, “We had to study the traditional [methods] of shoe manufacturing and find a way to implement our technology in the process. The most important thing for us was to have a simple and effective system. We did not want batteries, motors, or any unnecessary weight.”

And the design the company finally settled on does all of those things. The auto-lacing function of Powerlace shoes relies only on a lever, cables, and the weight of the wearer’s feet — no motors, gears, or batteries.

Technologically speaking, the Powerlace shoe prototype uses highly resistant cables to hold feet in the shoes. A mechanism locks into place at a tension level set by a pull tab once a foot is inserted into the shoe. Lace tension can also be modified by moving the lace lock. The shoes’ thermo polyurethane sole anchors the lever that unlocks the mechanism, and the tongue opens when pressure is released from the laces.

At this time, Powerlace is fundraising on Kickstarter in hopes that the company can soon debut a men's running shoe. (Don’t worry ladies and kids — the powers that be at Powerlace say they are also working on shoes for women and children.) According to the Kickstarter campaign page, the shoes will range in men’s sizes 8 – 12 with four accent colors to choose from (blue, green, orange, and gray). Bids to get in on the ground level start as low as $22.10, but the shoes themselves will cost investors a little more than $150. 

But that’s still worth it when you don’t have to tie your own shoes, right? 

Via GizMag