The Coto Research Center, located in Trebucco Canyon, California, is home for one of this

country's leading experts in the quickly emerging field of biomechanics, Dr. Gideon

Ariel.

Here, surrounded by his arsenal of computer hardware and software, Dr. Ariel and his staff

worked to gain a better understanding of human locomotion and the factors that influence

and effect movement.

The process starts with a combination of high-speed photography and sensor measurements of muscle

activity.

Sensor measurements are achieved with the use of two specialized pieces of equipment,

the electromyograph, or EMG, and the kissler force platform.

Templates are placed on the muscles to be measured and through radio signals data is

sent to the computers where calculations can be easily performed.

In the same manner, the force platform is used to measure how different forces come into

play as each step or stride is taken.

These measurements include the amount of torque and the vertical horizontal and lateral pressures

placed on each muscle as the movement progresses.

Why is this important for a better shoe design?

Dr. Ariel explains.

When we want to optimize athletic performance or we want to optimize other athletic equipment

or a shoe, we have to rely on science rather than on the guests because human eye is very

inefficient in trying to see the forces.

We have to measure the forces.

The field that allows us to measure the forces in biological systems is the field of biomechanics.

Using a high technology and computer system, it allows us to take a high-speed cinematography,

measuring the material, measuring the duration of the step, and that allows us to design

and optimal shoes.

We want to know, for example, how much of absorption we want in the shoe.

We would like to know how much the shoe should bend, actually, when you walk in it.

We would like to know how much energy is lost and how much energy is recovered.

All these factors are extremely important in designing a comfortable shoe.

We rely on a high-speed cinematography where we're taking a high-speed firm to rely on

force platform where it measures all the forces when the person strikes the ground.

We're measuring different surfaces as to how they interact with the different shoes and

putting all these characteristics into our computer technology allows to design the

optimal shoe for the person.

Instead of putting a shoe in a person, we're putting a person in the shoe, and this is

the most important factor in optimizing shoe design.

Once all the data is recorded, the computers are used to calculate and analyze the information.

Each frame taken of the subject is used to trace the body's movement.

Using a digitizing pin, Dr. Ariel inputs the position of each joint.

From these points, the computer generates stick figures that duplicate the actual movement.

This is an important point because a large part of the reason biomechanics is so successful

at improving performance, reducing injury, and designing better products, is the fact

that it analyzes real movement, not simulations.

These stick figures can be manipulated to provide a clear picture of how each body part moves

in terms of speed, acceleration, and energy output.

For Lowell, all of this has come together in the production of a truly comfortable, efficient

shoe.

In order to optimize the best shoes, we have to start with people walking, running, jogging,

standing, and find what are the characteristics of these activities from the biomechanical

point of view.

When we learn about that, we start designing shoes with proper characteristics.

What characteristics are, the proper shock absorption, the counter of the sole, the comfort

characteristics of the shoes.

What shape the sole should have?

For example, we found out that you need a concave sole so you will have like a trampoline

effect.

Also, we want to know how much shock absorption a person wanted in the shoe.

We don't want too much shock absorption because, you know, walking on sand, which has very

good shock absorption, it's not very comfortable after you walk a mile.

Also going on a hard surface might be very efficient, but after a mile you will feel

your feet.

So we needed to compromise between a very efficient shoe that don't absorb any shock

and between a shoe that absorbs too much shock.

And we came with a proper design, with the proper sole and the counters of the sole, with

the proper comfort characteristics to design the optimized shoes relying on the biomechanical

data, on the electromyogram data, on all the characteristics of walking that require.

By integrating all these characteristics we came with the most optimized shoes available

today.