Entrupy’s ‘Legit Check Tech’ is a magic box that detects counterfeit sneakers in minutes

Sneaker culture has been on the rise for years. And while the styles are getting better, so are the fakes.

That’s where Entrupy comes in, with Legit Check Tech—an artificial intelligence-based solution that helps businesses both big and small verify to their customers that the sneakers they carry in stock are authentic.  

The company originally launched a similar technology specifically for luxury handbags. But, in an effort to branch out, Entrupy is tackling sneakers next.

For the last year and a half, the company had worked on different approaches until they found the one that was not only the most accurate, but also quick and scalable. 

So, how does it work?

Using the companion app, start by scanning the tag on the inside of the shoe (which populates the information into the app) and place the shoe in the box. Once you tap “Capture” on the app, cameras on the inside of the box simultaneously take photos of all angles of the shoe. Once you’re done with one shoe, take it out and throw in the other to complete the process.

Once both shoes are scanned, the images are uploaded to the cloud and the request is processed. The algorithm, which looks at anywhere between 500 to 1,300 data points, has been trained to understand the differences between counterfeit and authentic versions.

If the shoes are real, you’ll see a “Verified by Entrupy” seal of approval on the app. If they’re fake, the app will say it’s “Unidentified.”

At a demo in NYC, I got to check out the technology in person and it actually went by a lot faster than it does in the video above. 

“We designed it to keep it really simple…you and I should be able to know nothing about it except to take the shoe, put it inside, and get a result,” Vidyuth Srinivasan, CEO of Entrupy, told Mashable.

But when the cameras on the inside all clicked in unison, I couldn’t help but notice the shutters sounded awfully familiar. That’s because those cameras are actually iPods situated all around the box. 

But that’s for prototype purposes. Since the Legit Check Tech is still in its early stages, Entrupy is still finding ways to innovate the technology as the product continues to develop. 

Although, it’d be pretty funny if that was the sound it made every time.

As of right now, the box can only detect the top two brands: Adidas and Nike. But the company does plan on adding more over time.

“We needed something that can really be quick in terms of learning…and this system worked the best for us. We’re in a position where, if a new drop came out next week, we can take anywhere between one and ten days to make that drop ready to be authenticated,” Srinivasan explained.

While Entrupy isn’t replacing humans with this technology, it’s certainly reducing the chance for human error. 

As of right now, popular online retailers like StockX and GOAT use the human eye to authenticate products. They look at the shoes and judge whether or not they think it’s fake based on certain details. 

Sure, these people have been trained for this exact thing, but I’m not going to sit here and say it gives me slight anxiety – especially after seeing a computer do it so quickly. 

“Credibility is a big deal for a lot of sellers. Even for the big players. If you’re a marketplace or a retailer, the only thing you really have going for you is trust. The trust that, you know, you don’t even think about them having fake product. But the moment that comes out, [your credibility] takes a nose dive,” Srinivasan said.  

But earning that trust doesn’t come cheap. While the company remains tight-lipped on pricing, we can only guess that it’ll be similar to the pricing of its version for handbags—which varies anywhere from $99 to over $600 per month. That’s without the $299 set-up fee per device, if you want to get more than one for your business.

And sure, this all seems like a first world problem for those who can actually afford these types of luxury goods.

But I’ve been super cautious of this kind of stuff ever since I was in elementary school, when my friend’s mom dropped hundreds of dollars on what she thought was a Tiffany necklace from eBay, only to receive a cardboard cutout in the mail instead.

Verify before you buy, folks.