By Chuck Martin
Nike is launching a $350 connected shoe with power laces that can be changed by the push of a button on a smartphone.
The new basketball shoe, the Nike Adapt BB, has a lace engine that closes around an entire foot and remembers via paired mobile app how tight or loose a person prefers their footwear based on different situations, such as warm-ups, gameplay or while resting.
The Adapt BB is the first of the shoes introduced on the Nike Adapt platform.
“We picked basketball as the first sport for Nike Adapt intentionally because of the demands that athletes put on their shoes,” stated Eric Avar, Nike vice president creative director of innovation. “During a normal basketball game, the athlete’s foot changes and the ability to quickly change your fit by loosening your shoe to increase blood flow and then tighten again for performance is a key element that we believe will improve the athlete’s experience.”
An additional benefit of the smart shoe is the ability to receive real-time personalized training and guidance, according to Nike. The shoe has been tested by professional basketball players including Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
