The goal of this project is to design a shoe mechanism that can transition a high heel from an elevated state to a flat state. After extended periods of time, high heel shoes cause a significant amount of stress on the wearer's feet. This stress can lead to both long-term and short-term medical conditions such as bunions, Morton's neuroma, and hammer toes. There are methods for reducing high heel foot stress such as toe taping and use of gel inserts. Unfortunately, neither of these methods substantially lessen the main cause of this stress: forefront foot pressure. A convertible shoe will ease this pressure by transitioning to a flat state while still giving wearers the choice of a more stressed, fashionable state. This method allows for a balance between fashion and comfort. Through market research, we discovered that current convertible heels are not economically successful because of their high costs and unconventionality. An unpublished survey conducted by the group backed these claims from the market research: women want an affordable, fashionable, and convenient choice. Current competitors on the market use detachable heels, which means more parts for the wearer to carry and are ineffective because of their inconvenience. This inspired the team to create an option for women where no extra parts are needed. The team's convertible shoe has a fixed heel that folds up into the sole of the shoe when wearers want to switch states. A flexible material is also used at the front arch to account for the foot's change in angle during the different states. The team has currently developed a 3-D printed prototype (pictured below) and is working to refine the design to create a wearable alternative.
