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Nike's Air Kicks Back To The Future Power Laces
Air Kicks were first activated more than 20 years ago in Back to the Future II, but inventor Blake Bevin created her own version earlier this year (see Power Laces From Back To The Future 2 ).
(Blake Bevin and her Power Laces)
Now, she has version 2.0 of her Nike Air Kick's going; take a look at this short video to see how they work; also, compare them to the Power Laces V. 10 .
(Blake Bevin's Nike Air Kicks verson 2.0)
The area of self-lacing shoes is heating up with news that Nike has actually applied for a patent on this technology, a kind of automatic fastening system. Ms. Bevin is unperturbed.
The Bevin 2.0 version takes the original concept's bulky exterior motor and fits it into the heel."I don't want to give too much away, but I believe my version will offer more efficiency, along with being more flexible in the type of shoe it can be adapted for," she said.
Ms Bevin has set up an account at micro-capital site Kickstarter.com to convince investors that version 2.0 is worth a shot and given herself until October 11 to raise $25,000.
She said rather than being daunted by Nike's moves to patent Air Kicks, it was encouraging to know she was working on a viable product.
"It proves the 'big boys' have been thinking about such a product as well," she said.
"Plus, the mechanism showed in their patent, while similar to a Power Laces Version 2.0 prototype I just built, is completely different than the final version I have in mind for a marketable product."
Via News.com.au. Thanks for the tip, Fortigurn!
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 8/31/2010)
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