Important Innovations

Nike's Adapt Auto Max Source:  Nike Connectivity and Performance at the Next Level Nike calls its new Nike Adapt Auto Max, their pinnacle  offering that combines performance and connectivity. The shoe is part of the Air Max line. Adapt is the key word.  The shoe adapts to the wearer's needs.  The shoe has some unique features: FitAdapt  technology that allows it to grow and scale   with the wearer You can loosen or tighten the shoe's fit with your Apple watch You can adjust the power lacing using voice commands New features are updated through the Nike Adapt App The App creates two modes for the wearer: active sports & relaxation Nike claims the shoe's personalization & responsiveness are immediate Future of Fit Nike considers Adapt as part of its "future of fit".  The shoe is powered by a frictionless "digital utility" that makes it responsive to the wearer, smarter and able to do more things over time.  T...

Nike's Vaporfly Source:  Nike Vaporfly Springboard Empowered Running The $250.00 Nike Vaporfly running shoe has been cleared for use by elite runners in the upcoming Summer 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  The shoe appears to be the ultimate high tech innovation in running.  There's a carbon plate built into it that's designed to provide the runner with a spring in their step.  It's the world's first hi-tech springboard for runners that is getting tremendous results. Incredible Track Record Over the past year, runners wearing Vaporfly have recorded the five, fastest marathons ever.  And since the Vaporfly launch, the number of Adidas sponsored runners winning major marathons has been cut in half.  This is big business.  Running shoes are a $13 billion industry that's projected to grow 5% during each of the next 5 years. "Technological Doping" Critics have called the innovative technology shoe "technological doping".  But, the...

Adidas Going Very Blue and Green Source:  Adidas Ocean Waste Commitment Two New Fabrics 100% Recycled German based sports gear giant Adidas is going very green and blue.  It just introduced two new fabrics:  Primeblue and Primegreen.  Both are composed of 100% recycled polyester.  Primeblue contains Parley Ocean Plastic, which is a fabric made from recycled ocean plastic waste.  Adidas will unveil some new products made of Primeblue during the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday.  Primegreen, which contains only recycled plastic and recycled polyester, will introduce new products later this year. Adidas has showcased some running shoes made of recycled ocean plastics.  Today it greatly widened its environmental commitment. Very Specific Environmental Goals For 2020, Adidas has committed to having 50% of the polyester it uses in products recycled polyester.  By 2024, it will use only recycled polyester.  And, it commits to cut...

Nike Fit Source:  Nike Fit AI App for Perfect Fitting Running Shoes Nike Fit is a new AI innovation app from Nike.  The artificial intelligence powered system relies on a smartphone to ensure you're getting a perfect fit.  The Nike Fit is a scanning system loaded with a proprietary combination of computer vision, machine learning, AI, data science and recommendation algorithms. Big Size Problem This system is designed particularly to help  with buying shoes online.  Sizes aren't consistent across brands.  Nike says three out of five people are wearing the wrong sized shoes.  It's a big size problem that can get in the way of optimum running. The Perfect Fit Here's how the system works.  The Nike Fit system app works with the smartphone camera to take a picture of your feet and make a 13 point map of both feet in a few seconds.  The map is then analyzed by AI algorithms to suggest the best size for the user across various shoe mod...