In its increased focus on smart garments, Nike has filed two patents, one for self-cleaning footwear and another for a bodysuit that can accurately teach yoga to its wearer. These patents were filed in the midst of Nike releasing the first self-lacing shoe. Back in 2014, Nike obtained patents for self-lacing technology, similar to that seen in “Back to the Future,” and recently, the Oregon-based sportswear giant announced its Hyperadapt sneaker complete with electric adaptable reaction lacing capable of adjusting the laces, pressure, and fit to the contours of the user’s foot. That being said, it remains unclear whether Nike will make use of these two recent patent filings as it did with the Hyperadapt technology.
The first patent, related to “an article of footwear with soil-shedding performance,” claims a shoe designed for use in “conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles.” The filing describes the state of the prior art as featuring outsoles designed to provide traction on soft and slippery surfaces. Such outsoles often feature exaggerated tread patterns lugs, cleats, spikes, and/or rubber material to improve traction under wet conditions. A problem with these designs is the accumulation of soil and dirt in the interstitial space between cleats, lugs, or tread patterns, said accumulation ultimately weighing down the footwear and actually harming traction.
In order to solve these issues, Nike created its self-cleaning shoe that includes a sole capable of absorbing water from the terrain in one step and then expelling it in the next step, effectively squirting dirt and debris from the footwear with every other step. To accomplish this, the footwear comprises an “open-cell foam material.” Essentially acting like a sponge, due to the compressive compliance and chemical nature of the open-cell foam, the outsole can expel water from the foam, thereby disrupting the cohesion of soil particles to each other and on the outsoles. The patent boasts that the article of footwear retains at least 20% less soil by weight as compared to an article of footwear not featuring the open-cell foam material. Largely, the shoe is designed for trail running and activities in rainy or muddy environments. However, the disclosure discusses applications in golf, baseball, American football, soccer, rugby, hiking, and even military use.
The other patent, entitled “apparel with ultrasonic position sensing and haptic feedback for activities,” teaches a garment having a plurality of ultrasonic positioning sensors and a plurality of haptic feedback devices configured to determine the position of the wearer’s body and provide feedback based thereon. This sensor-laden bodysuit has placed sensors at predetermined locations on the article, which correspond to locations of particular relevance to the activity being undertaken. The system then determines where the sensors should properly be placed and signals to the wearer to adjust a position, motion, or other aspect of their activity. This disclosure works ideally for form-fitting apparel, worn in connection with activities such as aerobic exercise, acrobatics, and yoga.
This smart garment connects with corresponding software, such as a smartphone application. The app can, in turn, show or otherwise instruct a user how to properly position his or her body. Additionally, the bodysuit itself features sensors that vibrate when misaligned and which can guide the user’s movement to a proper position. The sensors are capable of producing data over time, including instantaneous, real-time position sensing in addition to long-term information gathering such that a user can track his or her progress. Further, the bodysuit features a respiration sensor positioned so as to detect expansion and contraction of the fabric corresponding to the wearer’s breathing. The respiration sensors could then inform the suit as to the extent of strain or exertion experienced by the wearer.