SOCKERZ: A sensory sock that helps provide the correct training and technique to become an ample soccer player with practice. The sock will buzz as an indication on whether the person with it has done something right or wrong during his or her practice session.

Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide. It breaks down barriers to create a connection between people who may have never met before. It creates a bond between everyone that they all can agree on. That connection is the love for the game. But the love for the game is often questioned in the heat of the moment, specifically, when one is injured. My project, SOCKERZ, will help prevent injuries during games and practice sessions by insuring the correctness on how a player practices in his or her free time.

SOCKERZ is a sock with forces sensors and buzzers that work together to indicate to the player when the ball is hit in the wrong or right place on his or her foot. With this sock, the user will always be able to practice perfectly instead of practicing the wrong thing and creating bad habits. As many great athletes and coaches have said, “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.” With this idea, instead of practicing the wrong technique, SOCKERZ will alter the way the user looks at a soccer ball when practicing. The problem today is that soccer players get injured, constantly. This is mainly due to either not stretching well before games and sessions, or bad practice habits. Kids today aren’t, for the most part, taught correctly at their tender age. They tend to kick the soccer ball with their toes, instead of the top of their foot. This creates bad habits that usually carry on with them throughout their careers as soccer players. If they practice like this, they are more prone to get foot injuries. 

SOCKERZ was created using an everyday soccer sock, an Arduino LilyPad, a buzzer, a battery pack, conductive thread to run electricity through the sock, a force sensor, and resistors.  The force sensors altered the amount of pressure needed to trigger the buzzer. If more time were available, SOCKERZ would include multiple sensors all over the foot. It could also include its own app, allowing the player to select a certain drill to practice. For example, if someone wanted to practice a juggling drill, they would press the “Juggling Mode.” This would then activate and deactivate certain sensors, that would be needed for that certain drill. All in all, SOCKERZ would revolutionize how players practice, thus leading to a perfect soccer playing community. 

The Wrist Restrictor is a device designed to help prevent wrist related injuries in E-Sports. Made by using 3D printed links, the device can be adjusted to fit a variety of wrist sizes.

The Counting Cuff allows the user to keep track of how often their wrist is in danger during E-Sports competitions or practice sessions.

These projects were designed with the new and upcoming E-Sports scene in mind. E-Sports is professional video gaming with a keyboard and mouse that is played worldwide.

The Wrist Restrictor provides a comprehensive way for the user to have a customized amount of wrist support, so he or she can be comfortable when in the heat of competition. This device was made with polycarbonate, a material that can be easily formed to any angle with heat, and 3D printed nylon links. The nylon in the links allow for the device to be breathable and comfortable. These materials allow the device to be more customizable for the user and thus more E-Sports professionals will take this into consideration.

The Counting Cuff allows the E-Sports professional to keep track of how many times they strain their wrist. The problem with many E-Sports professionals is they do not know how much strain their wrist is taking because they are focused on the game. This cuff will allow the E-Sports professional to keep track of that statistic and focus on the game. This project was produced from a 3D printed nylon cuff, a LCD screen, and an Arduino Nano. The nylon band allows for some flexibility of the cuff, allowing it to be breathable and fit the user more precisely. The electronics are slim enough to fit inside the band, so they do not interfere with the players’ performance.

These two devices can be used in tandem to decrease the chance of having a wrist injury. The player would use the Counting Cuff to mark a baseline of damage per gaming session. The user of the system would then use the Wrist Restrictor to train the wrist to move less and to stop the damaging motion of flicking the wrist. After the user uses the Wrist Restrictor, he or she would switch back to the Counting Cuff and repeat the process until the user has the desired result. These two devices can also be used separately if the user would choose to do so.

The Shoenami: A minimalist footwear that protects the wearer's feet from the elements when a runner wants the barefoot feel.

Many runners love to run barefoot because it is healthier for joints. Experienced runners develop calluses over time but novices have a difficult time starting to run barefoot. Even when built up over months, calluses just might not cut it. Thus the creation of Shoenami.

After researching shoe design and speaking with a shoe designer from New Balance, Shoenami started to take shape. The construction of Shoenami consists of three layers of a custom sized foot pad made of leather. Above the leather there are  multiple layers of decreasing sized foam at pressure points at the front and back of the foot. When combined, these layers resemble a topography map. This is all held together with two straps, one that is stationary and one that has an adjustable buckle.  This minimalist design  protects the wearer's feet from the elements when a runner wants the barefoot feel.

Heads up is an injury prevention device for baseball players that attaches to the player’s hat. The sensors that are attached to the hat warn the player when they are coming close to colliding with another player or the wall. 

Using conductive thread I was able to attach ultrasonic sensors to a battery and a lilypad microchip. The ultrasonic sensors were also encased in a 3d printed enclosure that would prevent breakage upon contact. The whole point of the Heads Up! hat is not to destroy the integrity of the game but to inform the player that there is obstacle that they are close to. With Heads Up! concussions and other injuries would be prevented. This could also evolve to the standardization of the baseball field. All fields are different, except for the base path and pitchers mound. Going forward, my hope this project reduces the risk players take stepping on that field for our enjoyment and the love of the game.