The present disclosure generally relates to intelligent garments that provide thermal regulation in a variety of environments. The garments may include different layers such as a hydrophobic layer in direct contact with a wearer's skin surface and saturated with an aqueous mixture, a spacer layer, a reflective layer, and an outer hydrophobic layer. The layers of the garment may work together to reduce the metabolic expenditure of the wearer in extreme environmental conditions or during demanding physical activity. A variety of sensors may be displaced throughout the garments so as to enable the collection of data associated with wearers as well as environmental conditions. Wearers may control the thermal balance and other properties of the garments as desired.

A magnetic coil system for the treatment of foot pain which has an electrical pulse generator sequentially connected to three separate magnetic coils that have been placed around that patient's foot. The magnetic coil system consisting of one bottom coil, one coil on top of the foot and a third coil that is situated around the back of the foot and the bottom of the ankle. The three coils being separately and sequentially activated by the electrical pulse generator. The treatment of plantar fasciitis being accomplished by the activation of a series of intense magnetic pulsations using only the bottom coil.

A magnetic coil system for the treatment of foot pain which has an electrical pulse generator sequentially connected to three separate magnetic coils that have been placed around that patient's foot. The magnetic coil system consisting of one bottom coil, one coil on top of the foot and a third coil that is situated around the back of the foot and the bottom of the ankle. The three coils being separately and sequentially activated by the electrical pulse generator. The treatment of plantar fasciitis being accomplished by the activation of a series of intense magnetic pulsations using only the bottom coil.

A textile barrier apparatus includes an inner layer comprising an aqueous super absorbent polymer composition (SAP) and first and second outer textile layers attached to opposite sides of the inner layer. A landfill version includes an odor neutralizer, a biocide and/or a nutrient to support vegetation. A fire barrier version has the first and second outer textile layers including water permeable membrane and a fire retardant treatment. A planting groundcover version includes a patterned thickness of SAP corresponding to a planting pattern and a nutrient to support vegetation.

A protective device, in particular a safety toe cap, for use with an article of footwear is provided. A safety toe cap of the present technology includes one or more strain hardened portions configured to strengthen or reinforce sections of the safety toe cap against impact, particularly from above. The one or more strain hardened portions have increased strength in relation to adjacent non-strain hardened portions and therefore may maintain adequate protection of a user's toes and foot, while simultaneously allowing for lowered material use and a device with a lightweight, streamlined profile.

An inventive ankle-foot orthosis which transfers a portion of a wearer's weight normally applied to a wearer's foot and ankle to a wearer's calf thereby removing weight bearing stress from the wearer's foot and ankle.

Systems, methods, and software products analyze foot strikes. A runner profile defining characteristics of a user and a shoe type of the shoes is received. Shoe characteristics are retrieved based upon the shoe type. A model of shoe wear is configured based upon both the runner profile and the shoe characteristics. Sensor data indicative of movement of a runner's foot is received from a foot strike monitor configured with the shoes and processed through the model to determine a user's expected lifetime for the shoes. The user's expected lifetime is indicated to the user.

Systems, methods, and software products analyze foot strikes. A runner profile defining characteristics of a user and a shoe type of the shoes is received. Shoe characteristics are retrieved based upon the shoe type. A model of shoe wear is configured based upon both the runner profile and the shoe characteristics. Sensor data indicative of movement of a runner's foot is received from a foot strike monitor configured with the shoes and processed through the model to determine a user's expected lifetime for the shoes. The user's expected lifetime is indicated to the user.

An insole and/or outsole for a shoe such as an athletic shoe or cleat that includes a multilayer channeled assembly designed at preventing the transfer of heat from extremely hot ground surfaces, most notably synthetic turf, to the foot. In one embodiment, the insole includes a channeled layer of solid material with a very low thermal conductivity, preferably silicon or cork, as the base material beneath a layer of heat resistant felt preferably made of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers. The channeling in the base layer allows for air pockets to be created within the insole itself that makes the heat resistant felt more resistant to (i.e., more efficient at preventing) the transfer of heat. In another embodiment, the outsole for a shoe such as an athletic shoe or cleat includes a base layer of channeled solid material with low thermal conductivity, preferably silicon, cork, or polystyrene, below a layer of heat resistant felt preferably made of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers. This assembly is encased within a solid plastic mold that extends up to the base of the upper of the shoe or cleat and allows for little or no pressure to be put on the assembly itself. The studs for the cleats are preferably molded out of the plastic encasing itself.

An athletic shoe with a legging sleeve connected thereto. The athletic shoe may take any of a variety of high-performance shoes known in the art, such as tennis shoes, basketball shoes, and the like. The legging sleeve component is integrally connected as part of the shoe and is extensible over the calf, knees and thigh of the wearer and operative to form a compressive fit thereabout. Integrated as part of such legging sleeve may include pockets, channels and pouches for receiving brace structures, support devices, protective coverings and a variety of other implements to facilitate movement, support and promote proper form when playing sports. Such device may further include integration with sensors so as to monitor physical activity, or measurement of a variety of other physiological parameters for use in a variety of applications.