An illustrated view of an exemplary sole protector device for extending the life of an outsole and heel is presented. The sole protector device is easy to place on a shoe and keeps the sole of the shoe free of dirt, mud, grime, etc. The sole protector fits over the sole of a shoe. The sole protector has a bottom that is a traction surface. The sole protector may be any color or have patters, designs, emblems, etc. The sole protector further is reusable, custom made to fit, made of a silicon material, waterproof and stretchable. The sole protector may have a light, such as an LED, that is powered by solar power and controlled by an actuator such as a switch.

A system assesses activity and displays a unitless activity value. A detector senses activity of a user. A processor reads sensed activity data from the detector. A display displays the unitless activity value. An enclosure houses the detector and the processor. The processor periodically reads the sensed activity data from the detector and processes the data to generate an activity number, the number being used to generate the unitless activity value based upon a maximum number and a display range.

Articles of footwear and footwear systems include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the footwear or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of footwear for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and footwear are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for the module for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.

Embodiments of the present invention may include beading for decorating a target member. The beading has a linear member, a leg portion and a colored portion. The linear member has a main portion formed of a light-transmitting material. The linear member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end on an outer periphery thereof. The leg portion extends from the first end of the linear member. The leg portion has a sewn portion that is sewn onto the target member by sewing thread. The colored portion is provided in the linear member or the leg portion. The colored portion has a smaller quantity of transmitting light than that of the main portion. The colored portion is situated and configured to suppress the visibility of the sewing thread when the linear member is seen from above the second end.

A component, for example, a shoe foxing, may have one or more regions with embedded particles and one or more regions without embedded particles. The one or more regions without embedded particles may comprise one or more outer surfaces of the component. The component may be formed by heating and pressing material sections in a mold. The component may be formed by extrusion. One or more of the material sections may lack embedded particles.

Articles of footwear and footwear systems include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the footwear or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of footwear for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and footwear are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for the module for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.

This invention is an improvement in conventional slippers, especially designed to be attached to the upper front sides of conventional slippers to make them easy to find in complete darkness. The glow in dark accessory for slipper comprises a small piece, around one square cent meter of glow in dark silicon or silicon rubber or rubber or plastic in button forms on its own or in other decorative art forms integrated with other types of materials or fabrics for visual interest. The glow in dark silicon or silicon rubber or rubber or plastic can contain phosphors such as Zinc Sulfide and Strontium Aluminate or other types of phosphors.

Apparel is disclosed that can be worn to assist an interactive game in tracking the movement of the wearer. The apparel may include one or more tracking marks formed of designs, patterns, or reflective materials that can be easily tracked by an interactive game. By providing tracking marks on apparel, rather than using a special-purpose device that must be separately worn, a player may enjoy a more natural feel when playing the interactive game. A user can wear the apparel for everyday purposes, and then simply begin playing the game wearing the apparel without having to put on any additional equipment. The apparel may use reflective materials, and the interactive game can employ a camera and a light source configuration where the camera is located within the observation angle of a player employing retroreflective materials reflecting light from the light source.

The present disclosure is directed to articles such as bladders comprising mechano-luminescent materials which emit light when the mechano-luminescent materials are placed under stress. The present disclosure is also directed to articles including these bladders, methods of forming these bladders, and methods of making articles including these bladders.

A system assesses activity and displays a unitless activity value. A detector senses activity of a user. A processor reads sensed activity data from the detector. A display displays the unitless activity value. An enclosure houses the detector and the processor. The processor periodically reads the sensed activity data from the detector and processes the data to generate an activity number, the number being used to generate the unitless activity value based upon a maximum number and a display range.