Fancy looking at one footwear category alone?:
15th January 2010 
Article by Mike Vasquez
On-running shoe with WaveStep technology
With the ongoing debate over designing the ultimate running shoe to prevent injury and enhance performance the On Running shoe is another product that can be added to the conversation. The shoe was designed in conjunction with three-time world champion triathlete and six-time Ironman Olivier Bernhard. The goal of the shoe is to provide stabilty and spring to the stride while activating the postural muscles inside the foot and ankle. The key to the new design are interlocking rubber shock absorbers that are placed along the sole of the shoe.
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2009 
Interesting Michael DiTullo Converse video on core77
http://www.core77.com/blog/default.asp?p=2
Video thats definately worth watching on Core 77.
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2009
Replicating a persons running movement/ gait using a robot
Here at Progressive Sports we have developed a gait profile that replicates a person's typical gait using a Fanuc irobot.
This was a six-month study conducted by Mark Roberts and Jouni Ronkainen, now with Progressive. They analysed, through biomechanical analysis, a series of runners foot movements during running and replicated it using the Fanuc irobot.
More information? Contact: bryan@progressivesports.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7tGY-VDx3o
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2009
KSwiss miSOUL - new soul for training and match-play
Out for a little while but yet to feature on this website is the KSwiss miSOUL tennis shoe. KSwiss have designed a soul for both practice and match-play. Essentially they differ in cushioing properties and weight. The aim is to provide more cushioning during training, perhaps saving the limbs, and a lighter more performance based sole during competition. I haven't been able to find any research to prove its benefit but I like the concept of a training product and competition product, as long as the consumer wants to pay out for both!!
Information and images from KSwiss.
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2009
Mizuno release a "gender engineering" technology
Mizuno have tailored their recent range of running footwear to both male and female athletes. Rod Foley, Director of Marketing Running Footwear (USA) announced:
"We have learned through extensive research that there are fundamental differences between the running styles of men and women. Gender Engineering adjusts to those issues by creating shoes that more closely fit the different running styles of the male and female runner, in return maximizing performance".
Essentially the width of the sole has been increased for males to provide a more stable and secure run, increasing feelings of balance. For women, Mizuno have made the soles more flexible with more pronounced grooves, as well as making the heel rounder slowing inward role of the ankle. This is because women tend to pronate their feet more due to a wider pelvis.
The technology can be viewed in their Wave Nirvana 5, Wave Inspire 5, Wave Creation 10 and Wave Rider 12.
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2009
Nike Olympic sports-specific shoes
Nike have developed a number of interesting footwear concepts and designs for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, which can be seen at NOTCOT.
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2009
NIKE PHOTOiD - personalise your footwear
Always wanted a graffiti based shoe? Personalise your footwear by sending any image to Nike, and they will replicate the style and colours in their Dunk shoe. For more information visit NIKEiD.
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2009
INCHworm shoe - adapting the size to suit your child
INCHworm shoes have developed a shoe that increases in size as your child grows. Taken directly from their website - "Built right into INCHworm shoes is the iFit technology. The iFit technology allows you to GROW the size of the shoe with a simple push of the button. So eliminate unnecessary trips to the shoe store and provide your children with better fitting shoes that last up to three sizes longer. Inchworm shoes grow in half size increments. Just push the button on the side, and pull the toe of the shoe to adjust into the next size".
Few sports shoe manufacturers cater for children i.e. they simply shrink an adult shoe, without taken into consideration the real-life forces applied. Perhaps adapting this technology would help towards solving the problem.
For more information see INCHworm.
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