Shoes – history – Spanish cave drawings from more than 15,000 years ago show humans with animal skins or furs wrapped around their feet. The body of a well-preserved “ice-man” nearly 5,000 years old wears leather foot coverings stuffed with straw.
Shoes, in some form or another, have been around for a very long time. The evolution of foot coverings, from the sandal to present-day athletic shoes that are marvels of engineering, continues even today as we find new materials with which to cover our feet.
- footwear, sandals, boots, athletic shoes
- Navy – brown shoes
- Nike lightest, greenest football boot – made of material derived from castor beans and recycled plastic bottles
Pointe shoes – Designed for ballet dancing. These have a toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the dancer can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured by elastic straps and ribbons that are tied to the dancer’s ankles.
- Ballet shoes – New York City Ballet dancers regularly go through 10 or 12 pairs a week. The shoes cost nearly $100 a pair in stores. City Ballet buys 8,500 pairs a year, and has a $650,000 annual shoe budget.
What’s the problem? How might we WHAT for WHOM in order to CHANGE something?
Design a Shoe – Design and build a pair of stylish shoes to be worn around an obstacle course. Provide
the following constraints:
- The shoes must have at least a 2″ heel.
- The shoes must stay on the foot on their own.
- The shoes must be a matching pair.
- The shoes must be stylish.
Engineering ideas
- materials, recycle, formed
Do it
Now it is your turn. Here are some challenges for you to work on…
- design footwear for a special occasion, extreme sport or unusual situation. Try to come up with something new and interesting but practical, too.
Learn more…
- Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada – All about Shoes – online collection
- Victoria & Albert Museum (London, UK) – footwear collection
engineering 4 kids 