Nike has come up with a way to incorporate robotics into its store operations. This latest innovation could help extend the life of your favorite pair of shoes.
The fashion giant has released a new robot called the Bot Imitated Longevity Lab (B.I.L.L.) at Nike Town London that’s designed to clean and repair shoes.
‘The thing is, maintaining the old product is deeply personal,’ said Noah Murphy-Reinhertz, Sustainability Lead at Nike NXT.
‘People will go to great lengths to care for their favorite shoes. Repairing a product is a way to extend our memory with a product. We see B.I.L.L. as a tool for being able to do that.’
Bill is a robot-augmented system that employs water-based cleaning products and recycled polyester patches to rebuff old pairs of shoes.
At the moment, it can extend the life of four popular Nike shoes – Air Force 1s, Air Jordan 1s, Space Hippie 01s, and Nike Dunks.
Customers can visit the robot at London Nike Town, where their shoes will be put into the machine, one at a time.
At first, the robot creates a three-dimensional digital model of the shoe. This helps identify details areas in need of cleaning on the upper, sidewalls, and outsole.
Then, BILL starts its work, starting a process of deep cleaning using water-based cleaning products and car-wash-style rotating brushes.
‘The advanced digital readings help B.I.L.L. use robotic precision to care for the spots that your shoe needs the most,’ Nike explained in a release.
Once the shoes are nice and clean, customers can select patches to repair areas of wear and tear on the upper of their shoes.
Finally, a new liner and laces made from recycled materials are added.
The company states that this whole process takes around 45 minutes – and is free of charge for shoppers.
‘Robots can do things that are tough to do by hand, but when we used robotics as part of a recycling technology, we still want the service to be personal,’ Mr. Murphy-Reinhertz said.
The service will be available at Nike Town London throughout September before Nike decides whether to introduce it to further stores around the world.
‘B.I.L.L. is an experiment with a specific end: Nike envisions a circular future where products are made with the intention of being reused, remade, and discovered as something new,’ Nike added.
This isn’t the first time that Nike has unveiled futuristic technology – in 2019, the brand launched’ Marty McFly style self-lacing sneakers.
The Nike Adapt BB are essentially designed for basketball and automatically tighten or loosen with a press of the button either on the shoes themselves or via a smartphone.
The range initially went on sale only in the US for $350 (£272), although they sold out almost instantly.