Towards Next Generation Footwear
Prof. Ravi Goonetilleke
Khalifa University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
In recent years, people seem to resort to using accessories within shoes to improve comfort, reduce foot tiredness, and even eliminate pain. The claim is that the footwear we buy and use does not fit our feet. How well should they fit, and what metrics can we use to determine the right fit? These are questions that will generate very different answers from experts in various fields, and the inserts, orthotics, and other accessories used to customize the shoes can be quite different. With today’s technology, we can do much better if we rethink how shoes should be made. Unfortunately, the shoe industry has really not kept abreast with changes in technology and is quite reluctant to move away from the traditional ways of making shoes. In the recent past, some manufacturers have focused on customizing certain aspects of shoes to gain popularity. These have included colors on the various parts of the shoe and the shoe upper fit. Many consumers, quite rightly, feel that this type of customization is inadequate without considering the complete shoe. Regrettably, the shoe industry is not equipped to handle such requests. In this talk, the speaker will discuss a user-centered approach to designing and manufacturing footwear to deliver true customization with modern technology.
Bio: Dr. Ravi Goonetilleke is a Professor in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Prior to that, Ravi taught at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for 27 years. After receiving his Ph.D., Ravi worked as a Senior Ergonomist at the Biomechanics Corporation of America (BCA) in Long Island, New York, where he developed the first smart seat and led the development of the first biofeedback device for office workers to improve health and safety. In addition, Ravi has consulted for companies in various industries all around the world. These include Exxon-Mobil Corp., Icon MediaLab (Asia), Honeywell, Inc, Motorola, Procter and Gamble, General Motors, Thomson Consumer Electronics, Dow Corning International, Steelcase, Inc., Lear Seating Corporation, MRC-SKF, Ford, MTR Corporation, Hong Kong Telecom, and many others in Systems and Product Design. He also initiated the Human Factors program at the NIKE Sport Research Lab, USA.
Ravi’s research interests are innovative design, product development, and human performance modeling. Lately, Ravi has been extending his work to laparoscopic surgery. He has received eight US and Chinese patents. Ravi is the Editor of the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, a Senior Editor of Ergonomics in Design, and the Program Co-Chair of Physical Ergonomics & Human Factors, Applied Ergonomics and Human Factors Conference. He is also the Editor of the book “Science of Footwear” published by the CRC Press. Ravi is a Fellow of the International Ergonomics Association, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (USA), and the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society.
