October 21st, 2015… a day that will live in infamy.
That’s the day when Marty McFly comes crashing into the future from 1985, flying around in a Delorean at 88 m/ph, and learning that the greatest toy never yet created is the hoverboard.
But while we wait in vain for physics to solve that problem, the future’s other most desirable accessory – self-tying Nike high-tops – may actually be on their way.
Researchers at Purdue University in Indiana are developing a robotic fabric that could make McFly’s runners a real possibility – though probably not in time for October next year.
The cotton material is called Kramer Fabric, and comes with embedded flexible sensors, and is able to constrict and change its shape around objects.
Kramer Fabric in action (Image: Purdue)
The engineers hope it can be used in pilot and astronaut flight-suits to tackle the blood-draining effects of acceleration on the body with compression.
But, in theory, it could also be developed to do this:
Now if they could get to work on hoverboards. Or that giant pizza.
(GIF: Gifbay)
H/T: Gizmodo
