HyperNova

What it does

Hypernova soccer shoe helps young athletes boost performance while preventing ankle injuries. It offers biomechanical support, lateral stability, and a custom fit that protects the ankle and enhances control, making it ideal for intense and dynamic gameplay.

Your inspiration

The motivation for this project stems from a personal connection with sports, which energizes me and helps me reconnect with myself. Exercise taught me to value health, a priceless resource often overlooked until mobility is lost. Therefore, I developed this proposal focused on injury prevention, so more people can enjoy sports without risking their well-being. Taking care of the body means practicing sports responsibly and with awareness.

How it works

The Hypernova 88's design features an internal support mechanism inspired by the way human ligaments function naturally. This technology mimics how ligaments connect and stabilize ankle bones, helping maintain alignment and prevent injury-causing movements. Additionally, a technical textile similar to those used in postoperative rehabilitation processes was employed. However, it was adapted so that it would not restrict more than 10 degrees of mobility. After consulting with physiotherapists and specialists, we determined that the support must protect without limiting the player's natural range of motion. The reinforcement is concentrated primarily on the lateral sides of the ankle, where most sprains occur. This choice provides greater stability during changes in direction and explosive movements while maintaining freedom of movement and safety.

Design process

The project was born with the goal of preventing sports injuries. After conducting thorough research and interviewing experts, I realized the importance of focusing on a specific sport since each one has different movements, injuries, and equipment. I chose soccer because of my personal experience with it and the high incidence of injuries in my environment. I studied the most common soccer injuries, the equipment used for the sport, and the causes of these injuries. I created sketches to design the shape, mechanism, and grip type of the cleat. I developed functional prototypes that I tested under real conditions to evaluate their performance and potential improvements. Finally, I collaborated with a sports footwear company to learn about the manufacturing process. I worked at their facilities and developed a prototype that was closer to the final version, though it did not use all of the actual materials. This was key to validating the design before production.

How it is different

The market currently offers a wide variety of sports studs and bandages. However, after a detailed analysis, we found that most of these products are not designed specifically to meet the demands of soccer. Many sports wraps restrict more than necessary, which affects players' performance and mobility. Conversely, many studs are developed with a focus on weight, contact with the ball, or why your favorite soccer player wears them, without considering whether they actually provide adequate support. I did not find any product that really focuses on providing good ankle support, fitting the foot well, and improving fit.

Future plans

The next stage is to continue to refine the design to add even more value. As with any project, there are always areas of opportunity, and my goal is to continue to optimize the heel to develop the ideal injury prevention model. I would love that, in the future, this design can not only be patented, but also mark the beginning of a line of athletic footwear focused specifically on injury prevention.

Awards

I just finished developing this project, and this will be the first official contest I enter it in. It was nominated for a contest at my university called EAAD, which highlights the university's best projects.