IIRC they were developed as an accessibility aid for folks who can't tie their shoes in the usual ways. Elena Delle Donne attempted to solve the same problem with her shoe, but via low-tech Velcro and pliable openings.
actually I'm wrong. I'm thinking of a different shoe than the adapt, the flyease. which is good ig because an accessibility focused product getting axed and EOL'd would've been much worse!!