Aetrex, Inc. (Aetrex), the manufacturer of foot scanning technology, orthotics and comfort & wellness footwear, announced its Albert 2 Pro foot scanning technology is being used in performance labs of notable brand partners, including BOA Technology Inc., makers of the BOA Fit System, to enhance the performance of their fit systems and footwear of global brand partners.
Since the launch of its Performance Fit Lab four years ago, BOA has been using the Albert 2 Pro to scan athletes’ unique foot shape, collecting key 3D foot measurements with biomechanical data through motion capture, force plates, and other information 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 for 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, 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 percent, according to a peer-reviewed white paper by Footwear Science.
More recently, Burton acquired an Albert 2 Pro to help inform the best fit through scientific data.
“Burton is currently trialing the latest and greatest Aetrex technology at Burton’s Vermont headquarters store as a part of our efforts to find a real-world data source to help understand foot shapes better,” said Eric Carlson, senior product line merchandiser at Burton.
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