A big data artificial intelligence computer system is used for medical care connecting to sensor-equipped smartphones of users of footwear. The footwear has smartphone-connected soles with sensors and configurable structures. The smartphone is also connected to sensors located on the users' body, including proximate to its center of gravity and/or on the head. The web and/or cloud-based computer system is configured to use the big data techniques of machine learning in a database compiled from millions of smartphones to perform operations on billions of data sets from the smartphones of the footwear users. The correlations found from the big data operations provide solutions to medical problems of the footwear users involving their body structure and/or function. The solutions are implemented by configuring the users' footwear soles, including active configuration, including during running and/or walking to optimize corrections to the structure and/or function of their bodies.

A balanced insole structure with a massage function includes an insole main body and a connecting portion; the arch portion of the insole main body is provided with a convex portion matched with the curvature of the sole of the foot; the connecting portion is connected to two ends on the lower side of the convex portion, thus forming a stabilization cavity through their connection; and the insole main body is also provided with a massage protrusion on its upper surface. In the invention, the provision of the insole main body with the massage protrusion on its upper surface can realize the massage function of the insole.

A customizable shoe and accessory kit are provided. The accessory kit comprises at least one shoe, each shoe comprising an upper having an outside layer defining an outer surface and a lining, a sole attached to the upper, and at least one means for removably securing at least one accessory to the outer surface. The at least one means for removably securing at least one accessory to the outer surface is disposed beneath the upper and, in some embodiments, between the outside layer and the lining of the shoe, such that the means for removably securing at least one accessory to the outer surface is concealed within the structure of the shoe.

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure, and an upper including a front section and a rear section. The front section is fixed to a forefoot region of the sole structure and partially defines a foot-receiving cavity. The rear section is operatively secured to the sole structure at least partially rearward of the front section, and includes medial and lateral wings. A medial set of magnets includes at least one front medial magnet secured to a medial side of the front section and at least one rear medial magnet secured to the medial wing. A lateral set of magnets includes at least one front lateral magnet secured to a lateral side of the front section and at least one rear lateral magnet secured to the lateral wing. The rear section is movable relative to the front section between an access position and a use position.

Disclosed is a vibration generator for shoes, including: a flat vibration plate having a length longer than the width thereof; support pieces horizontally protruding in the widthwise direction of the vibration plate; upper and lower casings coupled while restricting each end portion of each support piece, so as to accommodate the vibration plate therein; core magnets fixedly provided in one or more places among the respective end portions in the lengthwise direction of the vibration plate; upper magnets fixed to the upper casing so as to face the core magnets, thereby generating a repulsive force; and bottom magnets fixed to the lower casing so as to face the core magnets, thereby generating a repulsive force.

A tension-retaining system for retaining tension in a tensioning cord of a wearable article may include a retainer including an anchor and a wedge. The anchor may define a notch, and the wedge may have a tensioning cord coupling feature. The wedge may have an engagement portion that fits within the notch with the engagement portion disposed further in the notch than the tensioning cord coupling feature.

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a pedal for a bicycle that includes a body, a spindle rotatably secured to the body and for connection with the bicycle, a first magnetic platter non-rotatably secured within the body, and a second magnetic platter rotatably secured within the body and overlaying the first magnetic platter. The first and second magnetic platters each include two magnetic blocks that are separated and magnetically charged by a respective permanent magnet plate positioned therebetween. The second magnetic platter includes a keyed protrusion configured to be engaged by a ferrous metal cleat, which can rotate the second magnetic platter between a first position where the pedal is in a magnetically inactive state and a second position where the pedal is in a magnetically active state magnetically securing the cleat to the second magnetic platter.

Disclosed herein is a footwear apparatus for facilitating optimal gaiting, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the footwear apparatus includes an upper configured for retaining a foot of a user in the footwear apparatus. Further, the footwear apparatus includes a sole comprising a front portion and a rear portion. Further, the upper is attached to the sole. Further, the rear portion is raised away from a plane defined by the front portion. Further, the rear portion comprises a first attachment component. Further, the footwear apparatus includes a heel configured to be removably attached to the rear portion of the sole. Further, the heel comprises a second attachment component configured for mating with the first attachment component. Further, the removably attaching of the heel with the rear portion is based on the mating.

A sole for footwear or a removable sole insert for footwear including a heel area, a forefoot area, and a midfoot area located between the heel and forefoot areas of the sole or the removable sole insert. The sole or removable sole insert include a concavely rounded upper and lower surfaces of the sole or removable sole inserts, a first flexibility groove located in a lateral side of the midfoot area of the sole or removable sole insert, and a second flexibility groove located in a medial side of the midfoot area of the sole or the removable sole insert. The concavely founded lower surface of the sole or the removable sole insert may extend to the sidemost extend of the lateral and medial sides of the sole or the removable sole insert except at a location of the second flexibility groove.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor, and the sensor is configured to sense changes in a foot proximity to the sensor in footwear. A baseline or reference condition for the capacitive sensor can be updated to accommodate different use conditions.