Blog Details

A Know-How About Smart Shoes

The world is advancing rapidly, with tech innovations happening in every industry. In this realm, the footwear industry isn't an exception. Smart shoes have evolved lately to revolutionize how individuals and enthusiastic athletes maintain fitness and live healthy lifestyles. They play a significant role in boosting performance, tracking progress, and helping to enhance any individual’s wellness journey. Thus, the newly booming innovative shoe technology represents a combination of fitness, fashion, and tech, offering a glance into the future of footwear.

A smart shoe, different than a normal shoe is integrated with technology to record biometric data, track activities, and auto-adjust size for a personalized fit. Smart shoes utilize accelerometers and gyroscopes to monitor the user's movements, including the number of steps taken, distance covered, and calories burned. This information is then connected to a smartphone application, to give immediate feedback and analysis. Certain smart shoes also keep track of heart rate and provide a comprehensive overview of the user's overall fitness level.

Moreover, the smart shoe technology leverages everyday sensors (light sensors and GPS) to tailor the shoe's fit to the wearer's foot shape and movements. These sensors measure the user’s foot size, arch height, and pressure points. The collected data is then analyzed by an algorithm to create a customized insole that provides the best support and cushioning for the user’s feet. For instance, smart shoes adjust the internal temperature based on the wearer’s preference. This is typically done through a smartphone app, a button on the shoe, or even through voice commands to a virtual assistant.

Leading Companies in the Smart Shoes Market

Nike Inc.:

Nike Inc. is a leading US athletic footwear and apparel firm located in Oregon that provides a wide range of shoes and believes in retaining its consumers with constant innovations. It has introduced innovative self-lacing basketball shoes called Adapt BB. These shoes are equipped with advanced Fit Adapt technology that adjusts to the shape of the foot in real time, providing a custom fit during any sport. The Fit Adapt system allows players to input fit settings through manual touch or the Nike Adapt app on a smartphone, enabling adjustments during different moments of the game. These come with various tech components like microcontrollers, batteries, sensors, and wireless charging coils packed inside, allowing for features like wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity.

Under Armour

Under Armour is an American sportswear company located in Baltimore, Maryland that specializes in manufacturing, marketing, and distributing different apparel, footwear, and related accessories. It offers a range of smart shoes under the UA HOVR line. These shoes are designed to enhance running performance by providing lightweight cushioning that absorbs shock and returns energy to propel the runner forward.

Digitsole

Digitsole, a company based in France, is known for its innovative products that help analyze movement and improve performance. It offers connected insoles powered by Mov-Scan technology that analyzes data, assesses running pattern biomechanics, optimizes performance, and prevents injuries. These insoles help target various pathologies such as shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, and overpronation.

Xiaomi:

Xiaomi is a Chinese company that designs and manufactures home appliances, consumer electronics, and wearable technology. The company also produces smart shoes known as Xiaomi Mijja Smart Shoes, featuring different advanced technology and design elements that help enhance comfort, performance, and safety during running and walking. These smart shoes have a high tendency of elasticity, breathability, anti-microbial protection, and reflective elements for night visibility. The shoes are equipped with Uni-Molding Technology that combines 5 different materials to minimize the damage.

Altra Running:

Altra Running is a subsidiary of VF Corporation and is headquartered in Utah, United States. The company is highly known for innovative running shoes. One of the brand’s well-known products is Altra Torin IQ, a smart running shoe that has pressure sensors, a small battery, and a microchip, providing real-time data. This technology allows for on-the-run coaching to improve running efficiency and reduce the risk of injuries. The shoe also connects to the phone via Bluetooth, collecting data on impact force, contact time, cadence, and foot pressure.

Adidas AG:

Adidas AG is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation known for its sportswear, and workout clothes. The company’s smart shoes are capable of sensing, understanding, and adapting to the wearer's unique gait over various surfaces by analyzing live data and adjusting the cushioning system based on the runner's weight, speed, incline, and surface hardness in real time. It features a microprocessor and sensors that measure compression distance in the heel at a rate of 1,000 times a second, allowing it to adjust cushioning through a motor-controlled steel wire system.

Puma SE:

Puma SE is a German multinational corporation known for designing and manufacturing athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. The company’s smart shoes are known for innovative features like self-lacing capabilities. The Fit Intelligence (Fi) platform by Puma offers a self-lacing training shoe that is controlled through a smartphone app, providing users with a convenient and customizable fit. The Fi technology allows users to tighten or loosen the laces with a simple swipe on the Fi module or through the app, making it a user-friendly and tech-savvy footwear option.

Zhor-Tech:

Zhor-Tech is a France-based manufacturing company that specializes in smart shoe technology. The company’s smart shoes detect risks for diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's by analyzing biochemical data from the user's stride and activity. These shoes provide cushioning, measure fatigue, and alert workers about the need for protection during work. Zhor-Tech's smart shoes are designed for various applications, including sports, climate, workplace safety, and healthcare.

Ducere Technologies Pvt Ltd:

Ducere Technologies Pvt Ltd. is an Indian company known for its innovative wearable technology, particularly focusing on fitness tracking and haptic navigation. It has developed smart shoes called Lechal, equipped with various features such as GPS navigation, fitness tracking, and haptic feedback for navigation assistance. These shoes connect to a smartphone app, sync with Google Maps, track steps, count calories burned, and provide directions through vibrations.

Salted Venture:

Salted Venture is a Samsung startup located in South Korea that has developed smart shoes called IOFIT. These shoes are embedded with sensors that detect balance and posture and are designed to offer tips on improving fitness regimens or golf swings.  IOFIT shoes come in two models: one for strength workouts and another for golfing and rely on pressure sensors and accelerometers to make measurements and send information to a connected Android app.

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/xcellent-insights