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5th Year Masters Project
"Smart Closure System for Footwear"
As part of my 5th Year on the Sports Engineering Masters course at Strathclyde, I was given the opportunity to initiate and manage my own project. I decided to combine two of my biggest passions for this assignment; innovation and footwear. Being an avid footwear enthusiast myself, I was determined to provide a solution which would not only fulfill the functional requirements of the project, but also looks aesthetically pleasing as well. As both my parents suffer from spinal problems, I was able to tailor the project to my own personal experience and design a product which would help them to tie their own shoes independently. My entire project design and development process can be viewed in the files below...take a look!
Stage 1 Report
Stage 1 Folio
Stage 2 Report
Stage 2 Folio
The Solution
The final solution of the project incorporated a weight-activated 'bear trap' design which closed upon impact. This was held together via the use of permanent magnets in the top straps, which could be easily released through a simple ankle movement. The straps pass through under the shoe tongue and locks at the front of the foot. The design fits into most footwear styles and provides a discreet solution to people who suffer from restrictive movement conditions and seek assistance in tying their shoelaces. The final CAD render of the design can be seen below...
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