In response to a request by a major sport shoe manufacturer, a project to develop an innovative (outdoor) sport shoe traction tester was designed and constructed in the labs of William English, Inc. The SST can apply dynamic forces to a test foot shod with an actual shoe product in a manner analogous to what goes on in popular athletic contests, and it does its thing on the actual playing field (whether natural or synthetic turf) or other outdoor surface, such as a hiking trail, clay tennis court or dry river bed.

It is also a functional traction tester for shoes intended for activities besides walking. If physical exertion requiring additional traction is required, the SST can test it effectively.

The second-generation SST Specialized Shoe Traction Tester is a powerful new instrument that applies thrust vectors in a range of magnitudes and velocities that actually occur in work abd athletic pursuits. Compressed air provides pneumatic force on three axes of motion: (1) vertical (or normal), (2) horizontal. The thrust vectors can be coordinated, with an infinitely variable time delay (from zero to seven seconds) so as to avoid sticktion. Velocities and force magnitudes are controllable independently, and angles of thrust vectors are adjustable.

The machine is towed to the test site by any small vehicle, such as a lawn tractor, four-wheel all-terrain vehicle automobile or a small truck, and its advanced control system is designed for ease of human use.

So it can be seen that the SST is the only traction tester a shoe company or employer would need. It can exceed existing lab testers in its indoor capabilities, besides its unparalleled ability to test on the soccer field, basketball court or even a battlerfield. The SST was also used to test workshoe traction on a painted steel surface in connection with the October 1998 OSHA "English I" research project.

Now on European Tour
The International Tennis Federation has purchased the prototype SST, and it has been domiciled near London with prospects for traveling around Europe in connection with studies of tennis shoe traction and clay court conditions.

New Developments
Because of new interest by the military in testing combat footwear and some interest from employers for testing shoes requiring higher available traction than can be tested with a conventional slipmeter, the SST has been redesigned incorporating operational simplifications making it much easier to use and having a less-complicated data capture protocol. If your enterprise has need for something along these lines you may call me at 239-728-3254, and I would be pleased to discuss your testing requirements. The second-generation SST has been tested and calibrated and is ready to test shoes under your specified conditions!

---

© William English 2008 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide. You may print off any information on this Web Site for your personal use, but no part of these documents may be otherwise reproduced in part or in full in other publications without the express, written approval of William English.

Return to My Home Page