Good Essay About Recent Innovations

Innovation in Athletic Performance Gear

Wearable technologies have revolutionized athletic and fitness performance. While there are many types, these usually refer to either gear such as athletic goal trackers, athletic gear like shoes and other sports performance technology. The technologies are moving ahead at a fast pace and new examples emerge nearly daily. It is not easy to design wearable technology; gears like sneakers are often made of inflexible materials and must emphasize both performance and aesthetics. Closing this gap between functionality and aesthetics is often the most important task in competing within the mass market. This task of creating innovative, practical and aesthetically pleasing gear requires a combination of technological savvy and creativity (“Wearable Technology”).
While there are many brands competing in this market, the brand Nike has cemented itself as a leader in wearable athletic technologies. Nike has managed mass-market appeal and has created a culture that connects athletic performance with all sectors of society. Nike has a global image, and its sneakers are well known for fitness, performance and functionality. Its customers are from every age group and have had a lasting impact on how its customers understand sports and fitness. It tries to remain ahead of its rivals by remaining technologically innovative in its products. (“Nike’s Leadership”).

One recent innovation in sneakers is to track a user's individual fitness statistics. Designers have integrated this technology into their products, which allows the average fitness participant the ability to track, their successes and progress. This is just one example of a technological success and Nike has come out with other recent examples. Nike + Accelerator is a good example of a whole new potential realm in footwear and allows the wearer to read their biometrics during various sporting activities (“Nike and their Running Shoes”). It shows how innovative Nike is about its footwear and offering maximum benefits and opportunities to the consumers. These influential innovations continue to inspire generations of designers and are sure to revolutionize the sneakers and their design in the coming years.
Nike and their Shox sub-brand that came about in 2001 is one example of a footwear design that altered how designers conceived of shoes. The Nike brand has invested colossal time and resources into constantly improving their technologies (“Nike and Their Running Shoes Technology”). Its designers and researchers have focused on how the body moves, how it works under stress, and how a certain product will feel and wear in these circumstances (“Nike and Their Running Shoes Technology”). Moreover, the company tests its products on a wide variety of surfaces and takes into account the diverse settings their customers may encounter due to geographic, gender and demographic circumstances (“Nike and Their Running Shoes Technology”).

Shox by Nike

Biomechanical studies prove that if one allows their feet a complete range of natural movements the chances of injury are reduced and strength is improved. The outsole of Shox shoes, with segmented grooves imitates the natural pressure configurations of a barefoot landing, and the forefoot area offers a natural grip (“Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype”). The result is that the user enjoys better stability and the ability for pinpoint turns with the Shox technology (“Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype”).
Shox is a special feature that was created by Nike and incorporated into their athletic sports shoe designs. The technology is a series of small hollow columns that are created in the midsoles of the rubber shoes of the sneakers (“Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype”). The main purpose is to offer cushioning. The columns found in Shox shoes vary in shape, size and height, providing better stability. According to Nike, Shox not only absorb impact from the heel while running but will also add power to one’s stride. The shoe, equipped with high-tech elastic foam is meant to provide greater shock absorption (“Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype”).
Shox Cushioning Technology Nike Shox cushioning is perfect for those looking for protective cushioning. One should take advantage of the scientific technology in their favorite sneakers to get that stable and responsive feel. The foam used to create the Shox columns have been designed to create a spring-like effect and remain durable. When the foot strikes the ground, the Shox columns fall toward the center, opposing the edges of the heel. This helps to absorb the impact efficiently, and the spring-like comeback of those columns result in forward propulsion. This lowers down the impact of loading while reducing the risk of injury at the same time (“Know your Tech”)
The cushion technology in Shox is made of several elements that work together to provide special responsive and support (“Mapping Innovation”). It offers maximum impact protection for runners with a neutral stride (“Nike and Their Running Shoes”). The technology was invented in 1984 and introduced in 2000 (“Cushioning Explained”). This became a popular alternative to Nike Air cushioning which was already a favorite with the consumers. The midsole of these sneakers is slightly longer and is closed at both the front and back ends (“Cushioning Explained”). The idea was to offers an extra “spring” to the construction. The column configurations in Shox can consist of four, five or six columns (“Cushioning Explained”).

Taking Full Advantage

Before buying a Shox, one should know how it works. First of all, the Nike Shox is a good shock absorber and thus will ensure that the feet remain completely protected from the impact when the heel strikes the ground (“Know your Tech”). The rubber columns bounce right back once they are pressed down upon impact. Thus, when you are beginning your next stride, the columns spring back giving you more force (“Know your Tech”). Thus, you get a boost in your speed, which is great for runners. For those who are serious about their sports and fitness can take advantage of the newer editions in the Nike Shox that come with Nike+ compatibility. The new technologies allow the users to track their performance with the help of Nike+ device and their iPod. This is a great way to track improvements over time and watch the progress (“Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype”).

Conclusion

The global business of the sports industry is growing at a fast pace and much of this can be attributed to the new technologies being used and the innovations. These new innovations replace the older technologies and enhance performance. This has led to fierce competition in the market and the need for innovative technologies so as to win over potential customers(“Mapping Innovation”).
One should realize that running, training or any sports activity is never without some risk of injury. It is important to wear the right kind of sneakers. Nike Shox sneakers not only reduce the stress in the legs, knees, and back, but the lightweight and highly flexible shoe also simulates the effects of barefoot running (“Nike Shox”). The mission of Nike has been to introduce innovation for athletes to reach their true potential. There are millions of customers across hundreds of countries that use Nike products and are a part of its community. Its world-class expertise, products, and services continue to launch unique solutions for all athletes.

References

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