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Incite
+ Enhancing groundfeel, balance, and injury prevention through proprioception in performance basketball footwear
DESIGN GOALS
Design a performance basketball shoe that stimulates the neuromuscular systems of the foot and ankle to improve on-court performance
RESEARCH
NEUROMUSCULAR ACTIVATION
The cushioning and stiffness of performance basketball footwear can dull an athlete's neuromuscular connections, causing them to lose muscle recruitment, speed, and agility in the foot and ankle.
Proprioception is shown to enhance body awareness and optimize movement patterns through the activation of nerves in the foot and ankle
Distribution of Mechanoreceptors in the Plantar Foot
ANKLE PROPRIOCEPTION
Ankle taping enhances positional awareness through tactile feedback. Various methods of taping provide
FUNCTIONAL IDEATION
Mapping Feedback Zones on Active Foot
V1
V2
V3
DYNAMIC TEXTURES
Based on receptor mapping, specific areas of the plantar foot require more stimulation than others
A responsive texture inspired by origami can deliver a stimulation to the sole of the foot, enhancing balance and muscle activation
Origami Texture (Paper Folding):
Triangular Resch tessellation with negative Poisson ratio expands and contracts in synchrony
Kirigami Texture (Paper Cutting):
Buckling-induced kirigami uses tension to create a morphable texture from the cuts and ligaments of the pattern
AESTHETIC IDEATION
Energetic Accents
3D Silicone Texture
Organic + Dynamic
TPU Cage
Engineered Knit
Outsole
Midsole
Circular Knit Upper
Textured Insole
Responsive Knit
Organic Outsole
TECHNICAL PACKAGE
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
![shoe tech pack [Recovered]-01.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d64cbc_4a0966fb22dd45b3ba017aba18e1982c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_1419,y_273,w_2094,h_2126/fill/w_729,h_740,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/shoe%20tech%20pack%20%5BRecovered%5D-01.png)
Circular Knit Upper
"Overlasted" Outsole
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Lightweight + responsive
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Conforms to foot without limiting motion
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Contains foot during lateral movements
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Improved lateral traction
Midfoot Carbon Shank
TPU Cage
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Contains foot for lateral stability
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Flexes with the foot
Textured Insole
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Auxetic structure responds to the foot
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Stimulates mechanoreceptor zones
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Improved responsiveness
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Engineered longitudinal stiffness
A
B
Pebax Midsole
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High rebound for enhanced bounce
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Lightweight + responsive
Rubber Outsole
C
D
E
F
G
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Multidirectional traction pattern
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Weight-reducing anatomical cutouts
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