POLES APART
What has been the number one selling / comfort feature in lifestyle footwear over the past twenty-five years? Shock absorbency. Shock absorbency, shock attenuation, underfoot cushioning, rebound, impact reduction ,d dynamic kinetic motion deflection, shock dissipation, call it what you will - it sells shoes.
Form air to graphic springs, from gel to mechanical kinetic outsole and form high- density polyurethane deflection plates to nitrogen; we in the those industry have used just about every conceivable composite technology, polyofin and polyester elastomer to protect and cushion our lower anatomy from the concrete jungle.
Well not quite! There is another exciting and revolutionary shock absorption footwear technology on the horizon. Quietly, within the US footwear R&D community and loudly on the Internet (B&B Technologies LLP) in San Diego, California has been perfecting a revolutionary cushioning and propulsion method they call 'The Directional Axial Magnetic Propulsion System'. Each shoe contains two magnets aligned to repel each other. They release the impact energy very efficiently without dissipating it by friction heat. Characteristically shortened to DAMPS to align with today's classical marketing brand name requirements, this ten year old company uses a mechanically assisted opposing magnet technology to create repelling force between Super Magnets.
Jeff Brown, who has been responsible for designing, building and managing DAMPS technology since 1988, has prototyped seven mechanical models to showcase this special machine intensive manufacturing process, which he plans to manufacture in California. It's been a long road for Brown, who had his US Utility Patent (#5,502,901) issued in 1996. His original design produced a bulky shoe with a cumbersome heel, because of the suspension system. His latest version reduces the bulk, while keeping the cushioning and propulsion effect.
When a person thinks magnets, we are immediately reminded of our typical refrigerator magnet. These typically have a MGO (Magnetic Gauss Output ) of 405. Super Magnets however have different properties. The current interest and marketing success of therapeutic magnets in sports medicine has brought increased awareness to one of nature's rare earth elements. There has been a recent endorsement of magnet therapy for diabetic foot pain by the Journal of Pain Management 1999: 8-17.
Can DAMPS with its 21st century 'opposing super magnet technology' offer the lagging footwear industry some much needed innovation? Brown with his DAMPS management team of Dr. John A. Ciccone, a consulting podiatrist and former Red Wing VP of manufacturing Hararld Barry may well have a break-through. The recent addition of basketball hall of famer Bill Walton with his own well publicized foot problems, will no doubt add a a valued spokesperson to the team. "It's an attractive idea, but will it click"?
According to an article published in the San Diego Business Journal, that's the questions inventor/owner Jeffrey Brown and the DAMPS I partnership with 26 investors, who have privately funded the ten years of R&D, hopes to answer in the affirmative with the world's first 'Opposing Super Magnet Suspension/Propulsion footwear technology'.
DAMPS earlier prototypes of their mechanical shock system reduced conventional dynamic kinetic motion shock by over 90%. Prototype #7 experimentally demonstrates a 100% shock reduction. That means the DAMPS suspension system never comes to a compression solid and remains suspended or floating throughout the entire walking motion/gait. In normal daily walking and working activities men and women place 2-3 times their body weight, per square inch on their heel each and every step. Motion shock equates to over 1,000 tons of force a day. Also real time propulsion forward is added as the Suspension/Propulsion system returns to its unloaded position and the foot rotates and is propelled forward to the ball and toes, in the normal walking gait. No Composite, Air, Gel or Pump outsole can compare to the shock reducing comfort of 'Component Suspension/Propulsion technology'. DAMPS claim a person can immediately feel the repelling magnetic force between these super magnets with a MGO rating of 38, shielded to a MGO output of 4-5.
Prototype #8, a military "Smart Boot" is just hot out of the mold. In an industry that has been continuously intrigued by different forms of shock absorbency over the past 25 years, DAMPS has got the be the ultimate - take a look at www.damps.com. The future is here.
This article was written by Mel Cheskin and will appear in the upcoming "World Footwear" and "World Sports Active Wear" magazines.