“Of the approximately 120 steps involved in manufacturing an Adidas sneaker, that seemingly simple task is among those robots have not yet been able to master, at least not on an industrial scale.” The robots are going to take over everything. But not until they can figure out how to lace up a pair of shoes.

+ Under Armour has made a remarkable rise to become America’s third-largest sportswear brand. But shoes are proving to be a hurdle.