Smart devices & lifestyleHealth & wearables
Connected devices: discovering the Nike Adapt BB
· Michel Aguilera
For once, we are going to talk about a particular type of connected device: wearables! An English term that refers to connected clothing, and this time we are going to discover a new (or almost new) kind of shoe, inspired by the film “Back to the Future Part II”: self-lacing trainers. An overview of the Nike Adapt BB.
Connected… and beyond!
We are going to discover a most original pair of trainers: the Nike Adapt BB. It is an idea based on the film “Back to the Future Part II”, in which Marty McFly wears self-lacing shoes.
At first glance, they look like ordinary trainers. But beyond their appearance lies innovative technology: wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity, an ultra-precise lacing system. Nike has stopped distributing them because the product was a preliminary version, and new trainers should see the light of day soon. In the meantime, we were able to get our hands on a pair of what is considered the 2nd iteration of the product. Here is a picture of the 1st generation:
This first generation, even harder to get hold of, had a few problems (erratic Bluetooth pairing, lacing too tight, heel pinching for certain foot shapes). In short, Nike went back to the drawing board and released this 2nd generation, renamed Adapt BB (BB standing for BasketBall). Because yes, these shoes are made for athletes, but not only for them (we’re not basketball pros!). The unboxing is also a most surprising experience, with carefully designed packaging.
If we had to describe these trainers, here are a few figures:
Now let’s talk about the app. A clean, simple and clear design, with a separation between the 2 trainers, so you know which one you are going to tighten. You can customise the display of the LEDs on the sides of each shoe. The battery status of each shoe is also included. There is a software and firmware update service (app available on iOS and Android). iOS users can connect it to Siri (yes, you can ask Siri to loosen your shoes).
Finally, if there is one thing to remember about these trainers, it is that the desire to create something as crazy as the concept seen in “Back to the Future” has well and truly gone beyond fiction and into reality. And this is only the beginning, as other manufacturers, including Puma, are announcing competitors to the Adapt BB.
To close this article, my unboxing and test video of the Nike Adapt BB:
In short… time to get attached?
We are looking at a most interesting concept for shoes. There are still some bugs, notably with the Android app, which showed Bluetooth pairing losses (apparently fixed with version 1.30 of the app). On iOS, I didn’t run into any problems. A fitness tracking system would have been welcome, coming from a brand like Nike. Let’s bet that this will be the case in the next version of this product.