Treadmill shoes?! Nike’s new gimmick might sound like it was designed to help you work out on the go, but in fact, it was developed for a more practical purpose. The company would like to help you slip in and out of your shoes more easily.
The patent released at the start of May shows a conveyor belt (or for all purposes – a mini-treadmill set in the insole) which should draw the foot of the wearer inside, after entering the shoe.
Look carefully at the patent and you will also spot information about a controller mechanism . No one would want to walk around with an autonomous mini-treadmill in their shoes, after all. In the document, the controller is described as being “coupled to an activation mechanism, such as a switch or mechanism to detect the presence of a foot.”
Such mechanisms could be activated from the outside or inside of the shoe and would require being switched on before putting the foot onto the conveyor belt.
The overall mechanism would help the wearer take their shoes off instantly after getting home or putting them on before training, saving precious time that could be spend working out.
The patent may or may not materialize, since Nike has released at least three other patents in May alone. Nevertheless, would you be curious to try it on?
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