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Too Good to be True? Crowdfunded Sneakers Wrapped in Flexible Displays

ShiftWear's kicks will supposedly be wrapped in an e-paper display—but there's no prototype

By Rain Noe - December 9, 2015

in Sneakers | Crowdfunding | Tech

Here's a crowdfunding campaign that merits skepticism—yet has netted $350,000 on a $25,000 goal. Are backers being had?

A startup called ShiftWear claims they can produce sneakers wrapped in a flexible HD display that can change patterns on the fly. They're saying they'll be ready by next year, and here's what their kicks will allegedly be able to do:

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Those are some bold claims. Waterproof, machine-washable, charges the internal battery wirelessly and by walking? Sharp-eyed viewers will note that the display is even depicted to wrap around the eyelets for the laces, which ShiftWear offers as the $1,000 version; lower-priced models starting at $150 will apparently only have the display on a portion of the sneaker.

Readers of the campaign page will note that the company claims the flexible e-paper display has "up to 30 days battery life." But the company has no prototype.

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The last time we heard about flexible displays was when LG announced they'd begin mass producing their monochrome EPD (Electronic Paper Display). That was in 2012. But the much-ballyhooed displays were subsequently integrated into only one commercial e-reader, Russia's Wexler Flex One. Any of you ever seen one, or used one? Probably not; it was discontinued the following year.

A consumer electronics giant like LG was only able to produce a monochrome flexible display and could not gain any traction. Now ShiftWear is claiming they can produce a full-color flexible display and that they'll have it on people's feet by Fall of 2016.

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Is that even possible? Perhaps. But there's a key difference between Kickstarter and IndieGogo that we fear may be being exploited here:

Kickstarter famously banned renderings back in 2012, stating that "renderings that could be mistaken for finished products are prohibited.... If an obvious simulation or photorealistic rendering is spotted during…review, that project will not be allowed to launch. If a simulation or photorealistic rendering is discovered after a project launches, that project will be canceled."

Two years later at least one news outlet reported that Kickstarter's "ban on simulations and rendered product images has…been removed," and that "projects [can] be listed even without physical prototypes." That's simply not true in all cases: Kickstarter's current Rules page clearly states

When a project involves manufacturing and distributing something complex, like a gadget, we require projects to show a prototype of what they're making, and we prohibit photorealistic renderings.

Indiegogo has no such stipulations.

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Jonas Eriksson

9 years ago

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I'd say this project is total BS but it can be done - some what, in single curvature flexing. The problem is to manage the conductive grids that makes the pixels since the bottom and top layers of grids will shear relative each other, so you would require some kind of re-calibration after a bending. Doesn't matter if its LCD or OLED etc.
LCD tech would be very difficult because of the liquid crystals, it is probably only OLED which could do it.

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Matt Chapman

9 years ago

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E-ink displays may be flexible but as far, as I am aware, only along 1 axis at a time. Like a sheet of paper. You wrap a sheet of paper round your hand, you end up with a crumbled mess. The pattern of a shoe or sneaker may be flat when cut but the materials they are made out of, when heated/steamed/pressed, are flexible along more than 1 axis which allows them to stretch non-uniformly (by a small amount). Am extreme comparison, but basically like a rubber glove.

If you google "make shoe out of paper" - that is pretty much what you are paying for here.

Daniel Stearman is right - this is bordering on fraud. I think Indiegogo should follow the same rules as Kickstarter.

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Daniel Stearman

9 years ago

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I feel this should be sent to the Feds. I believe this is pretty much fraud. There is no way they can delivery any of these features. I looked at the money tearing but it is not in till they raise 1 million dollars will they be able to do even a screen. I am not sure that is even enough money. This will exploded in a few years. There are going to be some pretty angry people. Even if the tech was wide spread and mass produced they still have a problem of not being able to produce a patterned screen as you would fabric. There are huge problems with this project.

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Andre Prudhomme

9 years ago

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Take a look at some of the other projects the same PR firm has promoted on Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/partners/herscugoldsilver

All of the projects look like they're significantly overreaching, and all of them rely on renders of products. My guess is that the PR firm takes a cut of the money raised, and doesn't really care if these products have any real shot of coming to fruition.

This is the tagline of one of the other projects they promoted: "A smartwatch, a phone, a tablet, a keyboard, a dongle and a wireless headset. All for $599.". They seem to be claiming, with a straight face, that with ~$1M in funding they can deliver all of that.

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Jason Pokines

9 years ago

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Another key difference is that Kickstarter projects don't get funded unless at least 100% of the goal is met. Indiegogo projects get funded whatever was pledged during the campaign. If you're seeking $10,000 and by the end of the campaign you only raised $3,000, you get $3,000. You might have to refund some of it, but it'll definitely go into the project's bank account first.

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