In October 2020, 3D foot scanning technology company Aetrex unveiled Albert 2 Pro foot scanning technology, an advanced device designed to enhance the performance of its partners’ fit systems and footwear product development. The Albert 2 is part of a portfolio that already includes Albert 3DFit, a 3D foot scanner designed for the retail industry.
One of the partners that is already making use of the newly developed product is BOA Technology Inc., makers of the BOA® Fit System which transforms how snowboarders “dialed in” their boots. Since the launch of its Performance Fit Lab four years ago, BOA has been utilizing the Albert 2 Pro to scan athletes’ unique feet, collecting key 3D foot measurements along with biomechanical data through motion capture, force plates, and more to better understand the way subtle variations in foot shape, the construction of footwear uppers, and material choices impact athletic performance. In addition to using scan data to select and recruit testers with a well-matched foot shape into the lab, BOA analyzes the data to optimize how the BOA Fit System integrates onto footwear to securely wrap the foot, yielding the maximum performance benefits.
“If we understand where along the length of the shoe the average instep is highest, we can design our panels to lock that area in,” said Dan Feeney, Ph.D., Director of Biomechanics Research & Performance Fit Lab. “Similarly, we use the length from the heel to the metatarsophalangeal joints to determine where our last panel should end. Thus, we ensure footwear from industry leading brand partners garner the maximum performance benefits of the BOA Fit System.”
BOA’s Performance Fit Lab has scanned over 300 athletes with the Albert 2 Pro and conducted performance tests in golf, court, trail run, hike, workwear, ski, snowboard, and cycling segments. BOA found that configurations featuring a wrap structure powered by the BOA Fit System improved athletic performance (agility and speed) by up to 9%, according to a peer-reviewed white paper by Footwear Science.
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