Nike’s New Robot Repairs, Cleans Sneakers

Last week the multinational athletic apparel brand unveiled what it refers to as B.I.L.L., or the Bot Initiated Longevity Lab. B.I.L.L. is a “robot-augmented” system powered by Kuka, the industrial robot manufacturer behind eye-catching technologies such as the University of Naples’ bartending bot and Moscow’s finger-breaking chess bot. Using recycled polyester patches, water-based cleaning products, and movements inspired by old-school shoe repair, B.I.L.L. is able to repair and refresh a range of Nike’s most beloved shoe styles.

Restoration begins with a Nike employee (or “store athlete”) loading the shoe into the robot. The system proceeds to create a 3D digital model of the shoe while noting areas in need of repair or cleaning. If the top of the shoe (the “upper”) needs repair, the owner of the shoe can select which patches they’d like to supplement the worn material. The robot then gets to work cleaning the shoe’s upper, sidewalls, and outsole before applying patches where needed. Afterward, store athletes can manually add fresh liners and laces made from recycled materials.

The process takes about 45 minutes per pair. B.I.L.L. can currently repair and clean Air Force 1s, Air Jordan 1s, Nike Dunks, and Space Hippie 01s—pricey and often collectible sneakers whose owners are most likely to seek out longevity-protecting services like B.I.L.L.’s. Nike is introducing B.I.L.L. at Nike Town London, its four-floor store in the UK, where it’ll offer the system’s services for free.

B.I.L.L. is Nike’s latest venture into more environmentally-friendly product practices. Before B.I.L.L. came the brand’s Refurbished line as well as its recycling and donation program. All three are part of Nike’s Move to Zero mission, which aims to achieve zero waste and zero carbon emissions by some eventual and undisclosed point in time—a noble if not vague goal, despite the brand’s apparent refusal to address other controversial aspects of its supply chain.