Runners are constantly exposed to new ideas in running shoe design. Competitive runners will purchase expensive shoes that promise to give them a performance edge in their next race. What if you could predict which shoes have the properties that could improve your performance, without all the hype? Shoe designers will use this information to develop their next shoe in this competitive market. Researchers at MIT have just developed a model sneaker designers can use to develop your next shoe. You can also look for these properties when you shoe shop as well to help you find the best shoe to help you perform better during your runs. Check out this recent article published by MIT in their newsletter below. New model predicts how shoe properties affect a runner’s performance Developed by MIT engineers, the model could be a tool for designers looking to innovate in sneaker design. Jennifer Chu | MIT News Publication Date: January 24, 2024 A good shoe can make a huge difference for runners, from career marathoners to couch-to-5K first-timers. But every runner is unique, and a shoe that works for one might trip up another. Outside of trying on a rack of different designs, there’s no quick and easy way to know which shoe best suits a person’s particular running style. MIT engineers are hoping to change that with a new model that predicts how certain shoe properties will affect a runner’s performance. The simple model incorporates a person’s height, weight, and other general dimensions, along with shoe properties such as stiffness and springiness along the midsole. With this input, the model then simulates a person’s running gait, or how they would run, in a particular shoe. Read more