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Sports brand Under Armour has announced the release of three new “smart” running shoes for 2017. The brand unveiled its first smart shoe, SpeedForm Gemini 2, at the start of 2016 as part of its Connected Fitness product portfolio.
The three new shoes—the SpeedForm Gemini 3, SpeedForm Velociti, and SpeedForm Europa—feature Under Armour’s Record Equipped technology, a smart technology feature integrated into the footwear that allows the wearer to track and store data related to his or her workout, including speed, duration and distance. Under Armour says the products are designed to provide “digital tracking insights” for wearers so they can maximize their performance.
A new feature, which the brand calls Jump Test, detects the average amount of time a runner’s foot is in the air to give an indication of muscle fatigue. This data can be used to advise the wearer on how to alter the intensity of their workout and to help them tailor their recovery regime.
Footwear has been a key driver of growth for the brand. It says it plans to more than double the number of units of Connected Footwear it sells worldwide in 2017. This will include global distribution to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and, for the first time, China.