Hello,

In this instructable, we will be building Self Lacing Shoes. Of course, they're not going to be as perfect as those from Back to the Future, as it is just a prototype, but trust me, it's going to be fun.

Supplies

For this project you will need the following (also presented on the image above):

1. A pair of old shoes you don't need anymore

2. An Arduino Uno

3. A Servo Motor (the more torque the better for tightening laces).

4. A round Servo Horn (something like the shape of a pulley or a grooved wheel).

5. 2 push-buttons

6. 1 LED light (any color you like)

7. Jumper cables

8. Breadboard

9. Material to cut (I used scissors and an Exacto knife).

10. A glue gun

11. Shoelaces (or wool string)

12. Foam paper

Step 1: Shoe Base

First, remove the laces of the shoe. Then, cut a hole with the Exacto knife in the side of the heel as shown in the image above (the side you prefer. I used the exterior side). Be careful to not cut yourself. The hole should be big enough for the servo motor to poke out through as shown in the image.

Step 2: Build the Circuit and Download the Program Into the Arduino.

Build the circuit as shown above. The code for this circuit is in this Link. How this code works is that the button connected on the far left of the image (connected into D13) makes the servo motor spin 180 degrees when pressed. This servo motor is what tightens the shoelaces. The other button on the far right is basically an on and off button. When the button is clicked, the light turns on and the entire circuit is able to run. If it is clicked again, the light will turn off and the servo motor will not move.

Step 3: Tie the Shoe Laces Into the Shoe.

You will have to tie your laces to the eyelets where the laces go that are opposite to your hole and servo motor. I did a simple knot to tie it into that eyelet so that the lace is fixed to that end. Then, grab the free end of the shoelace and put it through the parallel eyelet on the other side as seen in the first image (preferably do it from the outside in so that it tightens better when finished. Repeat this process for all the other eyelets.

Note: as you can see in the images, I didn't tie a shoelace for every eyelet. This is because it caused too much friction and I had a servomotor with very weak torque (2.2Nm). If you have a servomotor with a similar amount of torque, you should probably do the same. If you have a servo motor with 6Nm or more, you can try and do this process for all or most of the eyelets.

Step 4: Bring It Together

It's time to include your circuit on your shoe. Place your servomotor on the hole as seen in the picture above, and hot glue it to the base of the shoe so that it is steady and fixed, and make sure it is connected to the circuit. Next, insert the servo horn into the shaft axel as seen in the second image. Then, fix the shoelaces all together into the grooved wheel just like in the second photo. You should apply hot glue to fix the laces into the wheel so that it grips together and doesn't slip (as seen in the third picture).

Step 5: Your Are Done! Enjoy

That's it! You've completed the Self Lacing Shoes! Thank you for your interest in this project. Be careful with the shoes, as they are really fragile, but have fun with them! I will probably improve them later as this is just a prototype. I will try to make the actual product with the circuit integrated inside the shoe later on. If you have any questions or feedback please let me know in the comments or questions!