Convertible Shoes: Function, Fashion and Design
Student teams design and build shoe prototypes that convert between high heels and athletic shoes. They apply their knowledge about the mechanics of walking and running as well as shoe design (as learned in the associated lesson) to design a multifunctional shoe that is both fashionable and functional.
A wide variety of methods and materials can be used to create a detachable shoe heel.
An amazing amount of engineering goes into the design of shoes. Shoes must withstand a multitude of forces, stresses and strains on a daily basis and withstand them for the life of the shoe. The ability of a shoe to convert between different functions is a potential solution to the problem of high heels being uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time, difficult to drive in, and causing ankle, foot and hip injuries.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify the different parts of the engineering design process.
- Identify the different parts of the walking and running gaits.
- Explain how forces on different parts of the foot increase and decrease while walking or running, and how a shoe is built to accommodate these forces.
- Explain the difference between over and underpronation, and how to fix gait misalignments with orthotics.