Best Patent in 2019 – Under Armour’s Smart Shoe

In 2019, Under Armour acquired a patent for ‘smart sneakers’. Recognising that foot fatigue, numbness and discomfort was a reality among many after exercising and training, Under Armour invented a ‘detector’ to insert in the shoe’s bottom to measure the wearer’s blood pressure and adjust the sole’s shape in accordance to the reading. The data can also be transmitted to a device enabling further investigation. This invention seeks to address the negative affect a non-optimal shoe fit can have on the sensory nerves in the foot.