Tying shoes? A waste of time

If basketball shoes self tying up: The smart garments are there. A design Professor explains what is the benefit and what.

He is inspired of the Eighties US Film "Back to the future 2" where Marty McFly with its self-closing sneakers on the Hoverboard jumps and across the street floats: The sports company Nike has presented this week a grey-and-black athletic Shoe that can be controlled via an App or a button on the sole of all taxes. By Signal, he binds himself, flashing colorful and the wear profile of its owner.

The model of Nike is the second attempt of the company to bring a smart Shoe on the market. The first attempt was for the normal users too expensive, the second Version is advertised by basketball professionals and comes in February in the US for $ 350 in the shops. A big step for the smart fashion of the future - and innovation researchers Ingo Rollwagen. He teaches "Management in creative industries" at the Academy of fashion&Design in Berlin.

SZ: Mr car-roll, is it too much to ask, in front of the sports shoes laces?

Ingo Rollwagen: Some people see this as a waste of time, like brushing your teeth and then the electric toothbrush came. With smarter technology-equipped clothing is smart because it frees me from having to tying shoes. The test group of Nike came from the Silicon Valley, where this attitude is more pronounced than in Germany.

SZ: 2.10 meters tall basketball professionals might be pleasant not to have to bend over, but for the Hobby player to buy the Shoe? Need to have a truly fashion that is intelligent?

For very relevant, I think, is an example of old people's homes. Studies show that old people drink to little and to come even to death. So it has developed in the Netherlands, the clothes, indicating the nurses in color, if these people are sweating and need to drink. Smart fashion so it can really help. On the other hand, you can offer comfort, or just the Aesthetics. For example, if a LEDs-studded dress lights up in colour. In the best case, Smart Fashion combines all three components.

SZ: A Hungarian designer has developed a sweater that lights up, if it can be synchronized with a Person wearing the same textile,and so the two know each other.

It is always nice when people are brought together, but the boundary between sense and Acting in a Smart Fashion is often blurred. Recently I have seen a dress from Brazil, the Sensors were integrated. Thus, it has been proven that women were affected at an evening event for 60 to 80 Times in the body, you will not be usually touched by Strangers. Here it comes to the human right to the integrity of the body.

Nike sneakers was presented as "the beginning of a relationship" between human and textile. What makes smart fashion with us?

Smart Clothing has great Potential to make the relationship between the garment and the user more closely than usual. We know that to Wearables, so things like the Apple Watch, interact with us and make us feel good. So far, it has built up to a clothing is not always about the Aesthetics or the functionality of a relationship. In the USA, Mexico, China, or Japan, the people in a quick smart fashion. The Germans therefore heavier.

where is the skepticism?

With us brands such as North Face or Patagonia are in demand, weather-proof clothing. The Germans have rather to be afraid to wear a conductive jumper. Ideas like the dress from Brazil to help a bit, this barrier to weaken, but there are still a number of other obstacles: Smart fashion is expensive, data protection also plays a role. You have to points in Germany and Europe is very strong on functionality. Only then can you think of appearance and comfort.

you Wear smart clothes?

Actually, never. I don't have the Problem, that to me is most of the stuff like, visually.

How does it feel to a smart sweater?

on Average.

The name?

as a part of natural fibers, he can't feel anything. The challenge with smarter clothing is to sew the Sensors or cable, just the fabric, but to weave or to use textiles as conductors or Sensors. The intelligence in the fibers, hide, is one approach. On the Shoe, Because the sole needs to be tougher, to intelligent components.

use Where the Designer your ideas?

The Science Fiction series Star Trek, for example, is not to be underestimated in their effect on Designer. There are already a smart Ring that resembles the one in Star trek 2. And Nike has done with the new Shoe, Yes, initially, visually, to "Back to the future 2" - oriented, and now a serious Shoe.