Luminous sneakers have been known to the fashion world for a long time. Since its inception, they have been used by various designers and manufacturing companies in a variety of variations. For example, such well-known brands such as Reebok, Nike, Skechers and others have similar shoe models. Despite not the newest idea with a lighting effect, shoes with backlight are becoming more and more popular every year, especially among children. You can buy it in online stores and sporting goods sections, and if you wish, do it yourself.
How to make luminous sneakers with your own hands: choose shoes
In order to make sneakers with the original lighting, you should first purchase ordinary sports shoes. It can be:
- sneakers and half-sneakers;
- sneakers;
- Sneakers
- studs.
Ideally, of course, you should use high-top shoes. That is exactly what the founders of their own method for creating backlit sneakers, two American inventors, did. You can buy them at any specialized sports store, on the market and through the Internet. However, you need to look so that the model you choose contains a high side on the sole. This will help to securely attach the backlight to the shoes.
What is the secret of luminous shoes?
Before you make newfangled sneakers with a luminous sole, let's figure out what the secret of the lighting effect is. In this case, American developers recommend using a compatible electronic platform Flora, made on the basis of the eight-bit Atmega32u4 microcontroller. This platform has a modern USB interface. It weighs 4.4 g, and in diameter reaches 4.5 cm and can be used many times. It is this platform that is responsible for the lighting effect when creating original sneakers.
And the second important element in the manufacture of shoes with backlight is a colored tape with LEDs and a waterproof surface. For example, Digital RGB LED Weatherproof Strip 60 LED is suitable for this purpose. Typically, such tapes can be purchased as individual strips or in one roll (usually about 5 m in a coil).
What is the principle of the glowing sole?
Having decided to make luminous sneakers, deal with the very principle of the backlight. And it consists in the following: a special sensor is attached to the sole, during the movement it is he who transmits an electrical signal to a small microchip of the controller and closes the circuit between the power supply and the LED strip.
What materials you need to work?
In order to make unusual and spectacular luminous sneakers, you will need the following items and materials:
- a large "gypsy" needle;
- a small piece of sandpaper ;
- ordinary isolation;
- Super glue;
- Scotch;
- marker;
- compatible Flora platform (2 pcs for each shoe);
- LED strip (2 m);
- 6 AAA batteries ;
- Velostat (this is a sensitive film acting as an excellent conductive material);
- a holder box with a toggle switch and a JST connector (two-contact is suitable);
- 40 cm stainless steel thread (represents a thin wire that has protection against oxidation).
Making Backlit Shoes Right
So, all the materials and related tools are collected, you can make sneakers with a luminous sole. To do this, we cut out two pieces of Velostat film in the shape of the heel (according to the size of your foot), fasten them with adhesive tape with a conductive metal thread, and then place them under each insole of your future shoe with backlight. Next, glue the insoles (so you fix them).
With the right approach to work, the insoles will react and transmit pressure to the film, and then along the metal threads, like wires, the signal will go to the microcontroller. After that, the controller will chain the signal to the LED strip, and the shoes of your sole will start to glow.
After gluing the insoles, pass the metal thread through the lining and the inner material of the shoe, pull it out and twist through the loop on the back (if there is none, you can just make a few extra stitches and sew the thread to the lining), and then connect it to the chip on the side. A holder box with a toggle switch is connected to it. On the rim of the glued shoe, we glue the LED tape. If desired, the microcontroller can be hidden with a suitable application or piece of fabric.
As a result, you will get beautiful and fashionable sneakers that glow in the dark.
What should be considered when creating backlit sneakers?
When making sneakers, you need to consider certain points. For example, do not forget to insert batteries into the controller (3 pieces for each shoe). The controller box itself can be made removable, and it is better to hide it on each of the “tongues” of the shoe (in front of the sneakers or under the lacing). If your toggle switch contains a switch, then you can achieve the effect of changing the program, as is the case with the use of Christmas lights on the tree. The LEDs will blink and alternately light.
However, if you do not want to bother, you can always buy ready-made ones, for example, it can be luminous Nike sneakers.
Where can I buy backlit sneakers?
You can buy sports shoes with backlight in branded sports stores Reebok, Nike, Skechers and others. You can also find such "crosses" in large shoe supermarkets, for example, in Sportmaster, City-Shoes, Detsky Mir, and Stockmann. They are in shopping centers. Sometimes they can be found in "seconds" and "stocks." Well, of course, luminous shoes for children and adults are much more convenient and faster to buy in online stores (Turkish, Chinese, American and European).
Who needs luminous sole sneakers?
As a rule, such shoes are interesting for children. It's so funny to walk down the street when your heels are glowing. And, of course, these types of shoes are indispensable for those people who like to play sports in the dark (for example, running in such “crosses” in the evenings is a pleasure). Such sports shoes look advantageous both on the dance floor, in a night club and at a beach party.