Smartphone-controlled active configuration of footwear, including with concavely rounded soles
A smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized, wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control the configuration of one or more bladders, compartments, chambers or internal sipes and one or more sensors located in either one or both of a sole or a removable inner sole insert of the footwear of the user and/or located in an apparatus worn or carried by the user, glued unto the user, or implanted in the user. The one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, or sipes, and one or more sensors are configured for computer control. A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear, including one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, internal sipes and sensors in the sole and/or in a removable insert; or on an insole; all being configured for control by a smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized.
1. A computer system, comprising:
a Web site and/or a cloud array of computers;
wherein the computer system is configured to have a connection to a smartphone or other mobile computer device and the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to control a configuration of:
two or more computer-controlled bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes, at least one said computer-controlled bladder, compartment, chamber and internal sipe located in at least a lateral heel area and at least one separate said computer-controlled bladder, compartment, chamber and internal sipe located in at least a medial heel area of a footwear sole or a removable inner sole insert of both shoes or other footwear of a user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device; and
wherein the computer system is further configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to:
transmit data to the computer system for storage and/or shared or independent processing and/or analysis,
process data received from one or more sensors located in both of the soles or the removable inner sole inserts of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user, and from at least one sensor including at least a gyroscope located in, on, or near a center of gravity of the user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device,
use at least the processed data from the sensors to alter the configuration of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes of the footwear soles or sole inserts of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user,
measure the motion of the user's center of gravity in one, two, or three dimensions during at least a stance phase locomotion, and
then to test a series of configuration settings of the footwear soles or sole inserts to change the measured motion of the center of gravity of the user from an uncorrected state to a corrected state; and
wherein the computer system is configured to process data from a plurality of the smartphone or other mobile computer devices of other users of the footwear soles or the inserts.
2. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the corrected state of the motion of the center of gravity of the user is equalized on each side of a centerline of the user's body.
3. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the corrected state of the lateral motion of the center of gravity of the user is equalized on each side of a centerline of the user's body, as measured in a frontal plane.
4. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the corrected state is established by operations performed by the computer system.
5. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the corrected state established by operations performed by the computer system is an established norm that is less prone to injury.
6. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the corrected state corrects for excessive lateral movement of the user's center of gravity to one side more than another.
7. The computer system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the corrected state is a norm that is less prone to injury that is based on a group of users who have history of low level of overuse and/or acute injuries.
8. The computer system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the users include barefoot users that are characterized by a level of previous or current conventional footwear use.
9. The computer system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the barefoot users are selected from a group of barefoot users that have been seldom shod or never shod with conventional footwear.
10. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor including a further gyroscope is located in, on, or near the head of the user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device; and
wherein the computer system is further configured to control the configuration of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes by using the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to:
process data received from the at least one sensor located in, on, or near the head of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user, and
use at least the processed data from the sensor located in, on, or near the head of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user to alter a configuration of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user.
11. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor including a gyroscope is located in the smartphone or other mobile computer device; and
wherein the computer system is further configured to control the configuration of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes by using the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to:
process data received from the at least one sensor located in the smartphone or other mobile computer device, and
use at least the processed data from the at least one sensor located in the smartphone or other mobile computer device to alter a configuration of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user.
12. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the gyroscope located in, on, or near the head of the user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device is located and used so as to measure at least the motion in one, two, or three dimensions of the head of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user during locomotion.
13. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gyroscope located in, on, or near the center of gravity of the user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device is located on any article of apparel or personal equipment, including protective padding or armor, braces, prosthetics, or in any manner is attached or embedded in clothing, or attached with tape or a bandage or glue, or worn or attached onto or implanted in the wearer's body, temporarily in a body piercing or permanently in a body implant.
14. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured to share access to the computer system among one or more authorized third parties and/or the smartphone or other mobile computer device user and for conducting real time or subsequent testing involving the one or more authorized third parties.
15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the computer system is further configured to analyze test data sets of groups or categories of smartphone or other mobile computer device users.
16. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to alter both of the footwear soles or sole inserts including at least a magnetorheological fluid located in at least one of the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes, the magnetorheological fluid being controlled at least in part or completely by the smartphone or other mobile computer device;
and/or
wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to alter both of the footwear soles or sole inserts including at least one valve located between two or more of said bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes, the at least one valve being controlled at least in part or completely by the smartphone or other mobile computer device; and/or
wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to alter both of the footwear soles or sole inserts including at least one electric and/or electronic and/or electromechanical component that is controlled at least in part or completely by the smartphone or other mobile computer device.
17. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to control the configuration of one or more footwear soles or sole inserts of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user by altering a relative longitudinal height, including positive or negative heel lift, or negative or positive forefoot lift, and/or a relative side-to-side height between lateral and medial sides, and/or a relative height between right and left footwear soles, or a combination of these relative height alterations; and/or
wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to control the configuration of one or more footwear soles or sole inserts of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user by altering relative longitudinal firmness between heel area and forefoot area and/or side-to-side firmness between lateral and medial side areas, and/or relative firmness between right and left footwear soles, or a combination of these relative firmness alterations; and/or
wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to control the configuration of one or more footwear soles or sole inserts of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user by altering relative height or firmness under one or more of the foot bones of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user, including under a calcaneus, a lateral calcaneal tuberosity, a base of a fifth metatarsal, a longitudinal arch, a metatarsal arch, each head of a metatarsal, and each distal phalange, including a hallux or big toe; and/or
wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to control the footwear configuration at least once per full operation cycle or locomotion stride, many times per full operation cycle or locomotion stride, once per many full operation cycles or locomotion strides, or based on a set time period of any duration or based on another test condition.
18. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to:
record a first data set for a first configuration of the footwear and a second test data set for a second configuration of the footwear, each said data set consisting of measurements of force and/or relative pressure distribution of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user's footsole on an upper surface of the footwear during the smartphone or other mobile computer device user's locomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements, the footwear upper surface including at least a multitude or 20 or 50 or 100 or 500 or 1,000 or 4,000, or 16,000 individual pressure sensors;
compare the first test data set and the second test data set with a preferred data set for measurements of the force and/or the relative pressure distribution of the foot sole of a model wearer or wearers on an upper surface of the footwear during the locomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements; and
select the configuration of the footwear that produced the test data set for the force or relative pressure distribution that is closest to the preferred data set for the force or relative pressure distribution and to reject the other configuration, thereby completing at least one full cycle of an operation to optimize the configuration of the footwear; and
wherein the optimizing operation is used to reduce a range of pronation and/or supination of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user's foot and ankle during a landing phase of locomotion through active configuration of both of the footwear soles or sole inserts.
19. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device to perform an optimizing operation whereby the smartphone or other mobile computer device actively configures both of the footwear soles or sole inserts to change a motion of a center of force on a surface of either or both of the footwear soles or sole inserts for of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user during locomotion.
20. A computer system, comprising:
a Web site and/or a cloud array of computers;
wherein the computer system is configured to have a connection to a smartphone or other mobile computer device and the computer system is configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to control a configuration of:
two or more computer-controlled structural elements, at least one said structural element located in at least a lateral heel area and at least one separate said structural element located in at least a medial heel area of a footwear sole or a removable inner sole insert of both shoes or other footwear of a user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device; and
wherein the computer system is further configured to use the smartphone or other mobile computer device and the connection to:
transmit data to the computer system for storage and/or shared or independent processing and/or analysis,
process data received from the one or more sensors located in both of the soles or the removable inner sole inserts of the shoes or other footwear of the smartphone or other mobile computer device user, and from the at least one sensor including at least a gyroscope located in, on or near a center of gravity of the user of the smartphone or other mobile computer device,
measure the relative positions to each other of a wearer's right and left feet during a stance phase of locomotion so as to determine a degree of crossover of right and/or left feet across a centerline of the wearer's body, as measured in a frontal plane during the stance phase of locomotion, and
then to test a series of configuration settings in order to reduce or eliminate crossover; and
wherein the computer system is configured to process data from a plurality of the smartphone or other mobile computer devices of other users of the footwear soles or the removable sole inserts.