Nike patents shoe sole that measures foot pressure with sensors
Nike describes a shoe sole design that uses layers of material to detect how hard your foot presses down. It works by placing a pressure-sensitive material between two sole layers, which changes its electrical resistance when you step on it.
In the filing’s own words
A sensor system includes a first sole member and a second sole member in surface-to-surface contact, configured to form parts of a sole structure of the article of footwear, and having first and second confronting surfaces confronting each other, and a plurality of force sensors. The force sensors each include a pair of electrodes on the first sole member and a force-sensitive resistive element on the second sole member, such that the force-sensitive resistive element electrically connects the pair of electrodes. Each force-sensitive resistive element is formed of a force-sensitive resistive material configured to change resistance based on changes in pressure on the force-sensitive resistive material. The sensor system is configured for detecting a force exerted by a foot on each of the force sensors by detecting changes in the resistance of the force-sensitive resistive element of when the force is exerted on the respective force sensor.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A sensor system for use with an article of footwear, comprising: a first sole member configured to form part of a sole structure of the article of footwear, the first sole member having a first confronting surface; a second sole member configured to form part of the sole structure of the article of footwear, the second sole member having a second confronting surface, wherein the first sole member and the second sole member are in surface-to-surface contact such that the first confronting surface confronts the second confronting surface; and a plurality of force sensors each comprising a pair of electrodes connected to the first sole member and a force-sensitive resistive element on the second sole member, such that the force-sensitive resistive element electrically connects the pair of electrodes when the first sole member and the second sole member are in surface-to-surface contact, wherein the force-sensitive resistive element is formed of a force-sensitive resistive material configured to change resistance based on changes in pressure on the force-sensitive resistive material; wherein the sensor system is configured for detecting a force exerted by a foot on each of the force sensors by detecting changes in the resistance of the force-sensitive resistive element of when the force is exerted on the respective force sensor.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- Footwear Having Sensor System
- Publication number
- US20260314742A1
- Application number
- 19465402
- Filed
- Jan 30, 2026
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 6
- Claims
- 22
Classified under
A43B 3/44 Human necessitiesA43B 3/00 Human necessitiesA43B 3/34 Human necessitiesA43B 3/48 Human necessitiesA43B 17/006 Human necessitiesA43B 17/02 Human necessitiesMore from Nike in Wearables
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.