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Nikes like you've never seen them (photos)

Nike78 design challenge tasks creatives with rethinking the function of basic Nikes. Wait til you see what they came up with.

Leslie Katz
Leslie Katz led a team that explored the intersection of tech and culture, plus all manner of awe-inspiring science, from space to AI and archaeology. When she's not smithing words, she's probably playing online word games, tending to her garden or referring to herself in the third person.
Leslie Katz
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1 of 7 Michael Robinson

Nike+ 26

A design challenge created by graphic design student Paul Jenkins and dubbed Nike78 has tasked participants with rethinking the function of a brand new pair of Nikes. The contest name pays homage to 1978, the year Nike started producing sports shoes.

For his creation, "Nike+ 26," Michael Robinson embedded a shoe with 26 lights, 1 for every mile, so anyone can see how far the wearer has gone.

"For each mile you run, a light goes on from the back of the trainer to the front so that when you pass someone running, they know you're faster and have gone further," the designer says.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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2 of 7 Thomas Forsyth

Superhero mask

For "Super Hero Sports," Thomas Forsyth made a number of superhero masks from components of deconstructed Nike sports shoes. "Any new sport is definitely better when performed in superhero wear," he says.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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3 of 7 William Hooke

Suspended shoes

Pondering the down-to-earth nature of shoes, William Hooke wondered what would happen if they could be made to resist their primary function and stay suspended.

After much experimenting, he finally settled on a setup comprising an electromagnet and feedback system, with an Arduino micro controller at the core.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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4 of 7 Nick Marsh

Nike Wiis

Gaming platforms like the Nintendo Wii make it possible to work out in the living room using handheld controllers and a balance board, notes Nick Marsh, who based his design on the idea that Nikes can work in the same way.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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5 of 7 Andy Miller

Sportsbookends

"Sportsbookends" by Andy Miller do a nice job holding sports (or any) books in place.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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6 of 7 Cemal Okten

Nike Fix

Cemal Okten's "Nike Fix" project aims to repair and refresh old Nikes with colorful liquid rubber, thus giving the shoes a fresh look--and a new lease on life.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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7 of 7 Kayleigh Thompson

Nike Flipper

A finished prototype of Kayleigh Thompson's "Nike Flipper" will be on display in September during the Nike78 exhibition at the London Design Festival. The concept footwear is waterproof, with swimming capabilities and water vents to prevent the shoes from filling up during a dip.

Read more in our related article: "Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes"

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