Shox By Nike Essay Samples

Introduction

When one discusses wearable technology, the first thought that comes to mind is about sports and fitness, people wearing electronic bands around their wrist, etc. however, there is a lot more to the wearable technology than one thinks. The technologies are moving ahead at a fast pace and are no surprise to see another innovation every other day. It is not easy to design wearable technology like sneakers as the materials used are stiff and heavy, and at the same time has to be esthetically pleasing. The gap between functionality and esthetics is often a hindrance in the mass market. One needs real talent here to appeal to the consumer market of wearable technology ((Perry).
Nike brand has been the athlete focused from the very beginning and has been successful in making lasting connection with customers. Individual members of society get integrated into the Nike culture and connect with each other through the brand. Nike maintains the same image across the global markets, and its sneakers are well known for fitness, performance and functionality. Its customers are from every age group, and the brand image has shaped the way its customers think about fitness and sports and relate to the brand. It tries to remain ahead of its rival by investing in the new technologies for its products and how it can better serve its consumers (Neiderhauser).Recent innovations
One of the recent innovations in sneakers is to track a user's individual statistics. This offers a the designers the chance to explore new potential in design and performance and embed the features into a shoe so as to let the sportsmen and athletes, and even regular users advantage of this amazing technology. There is a lot more coming in the future of how footwear and one can see even further innovations taking place. The technologies are cheaper and accessible to the general public. Nike + Accelerator is a good example of the whole new realm of potential designing in footwear and enables reading biometrics during various sporting activities. It shows how serious the company is about its footwear and embeds the amazing technology to offer maximum benefit and opportunities to the consumers. The influential innovations continue to inspire the current generation of designers and are sure to revolutionize the sneakers and their designing in the coming years.
Certain technologies can be found only with Nike and the Shox columns developed in 2001 is worth mentioning because of the innovation it brought in the way the sneakers were built or thought of. Nike brand has invested colossal time and resources in constant improvements of technologies. 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. Moreover, the company tests its products on a wide variety of testing surfaces taking into account the huge diversity of its customers worldwide, varying because of their gender, age, geography and occupation (Nike and Their Running Shoes Technology).

Biomechanical studies prove that if one allows their feet complete range of natural movements, the chances of injury get reduced and strength is improved. The outsole with segmented grooves imitate the natural pressure configurations of a barefoot landing, and the forefoot area offers a natural grip. The result is that the user enjoys biter stability and 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 in athletic sports shoes. The technology is a series of small hollow columns that are created in the midsoles of the rubber shoes of the sneakers. The purposes behind are to offer cushioning, and these hollow columns come in different formations. These columns vary in shape, size and height and provide better stability. According to Nike, Shox not only imbibe impact from the heel while running but also add power to the stride while running or walking. The show along with high-tech elastic foam is meant to provide a greater shock absorption.
The 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. ((Jones).
The cushioning technology behind Shox is made of several elements that are work together to provide a special responsive and cushioning support. It offers maximum impact protection for runners with a neutral stride and majorly after heelstrike. The technology was worked upon in 1984 and introduced in 2000. 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. 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 and take full advantage. 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 The rubber columns bounce right back once they are pressed down upon impact as they are hollow and because of the natural laws of physics. Thus, when you are into your next stride, the columns spring back, and you can feel more forceful. Thus, you get a boost in your speed, and this is a great option for runners and joggers. For those who are serious about their sports and fitness, they 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 a lot can be attributed to the new technologies being used and the innovations. Positive expansion of innovation replace the older technologies, and the turnover is impacted positively as the sports equipment gets replaced or embedded with innovations. The customer today is well informed and educated and wants products with increased reliability and durability. This has led to fierce competition in the market and need for innovative technologies so as to not only remain ahead but win over the customers (Dulakakhoria).
One should realize that running, training or any sports activity is never without some risk of injury. It is not important to wear the right kind of sneakers. Wearing the right technology is very essential. Nike Shox sneakers not only reduce the stress in the legs, knees, and back, but the light-weight and highly flexible shoe also simulates the effects of barefoot running.
The mission of Nike has been to introduce innovation that is useful for every customer and help them reach their true potential. However, it takes lots of dedication and teamwork to make use of the emerging technologies and provide better solutions for athletes and regular customers. 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.

Reference

"Cushioning Explained: Nike Shox." Footlocker.com. Footlocker, 2012. Web. <http://www.footlocker.com/striperpedia/article/5002299/Cushioning explained: Nike Shox>.
Dulakakhoria, Siddhartha, and Tarakanta Jana. "Mapping Innovation Growth in the Sports Industry through Patent Data Mining." Journal of Intellectual Property Rights `18.1 (2013): 410-18. Print.
Jones, Riley. "Know Your Tech: Nike Shox." Complex.com. Complex, 1 Jan. 2015. Web. <http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2013/08/know-your-tech-nike-shox>."Nike and Their Running Shoes Technology." Shoesobsessions.wordpress.com. Shoesobsessions, 2014. Web. <https://shoesobsessions.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/nike- technologies>.
"Nike Shox The Story behind the Hype." Runningshoeswizard.com. Runningshoeswizard, 2015. Web. <http://www.runningshoeswizard.com/nike-shox.html>.
Neiderhauser, James Elmer. "How Nike’s Leadership Affects Brand Image Internally and Externally." Journal of Undergraduate Research 16.1 (2013): 1-10. Print.
Perry, Rayna. "Wearable Technology." Digitalcommons.uri.edu. Digital Commons, 2013. Web. <http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=textiles_seminar>.