Great Scott! Nike To Release Limited-Edition Self-Tying Shoes Like In "Back To The Future"

Nike is bringing one of the technologies shown off in "Back To The Future II" -- self-lacing shoes -- "into reality," as a new line of footwear will have a "responsive system that senses the wearer’s motion and adjusts accordingly for on-demand comfort and support," according to Emily Price of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The technology involved in the shoes will "likely make its way to other footwear down the line." The company "ultimately plans on testing the tech in shoes designed for athletes in a number of different sports." The shoes will be released "in a limited quantity next year and will only be available via auction, with all the proceeds from their sale going to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research." Fox played the character Marty McFly in the film trilogy (SFGATE.com, 10/21). Fox last night wore the shoes, which are called Mags, during an appearance on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and said, "Mark Parker from Nike brought them today. They lace up.” Fox pressed a button on the side of his shoe to show off the laces tightening on their own. Host Jimmy Kimmel asked, “They lace up on their own?” Fox: “Yeah, see it tightening?” Kimmel: “What a time saver, huh?” Fox: “It’s fun being me” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 10/21). CNBC's Sara Eisen noted "sneakerheads and sneaker fans" have been looking forward to seeing these shoes "for at least at decade.” Nike released a prototype in ’11, but they "were not self-tying, so the big innovation here would be they are self-tying." Eisen: "We know they have the patent for this. I assume they’ve been working on this for a very long time” ("Squawk Alley," CNBC, 10/21).