Nike is no longer only applying design, technology and engineering to the creation of its products, but now also neuroscience. The sports fashion brand has presented Mind, a range of footwear designed to promote calm, concentration and mindfulness.
Nike Mind is made up of two models: the Nike Mind 001 sports clogs and the Nike Mind 002 sneakers. Both products are designed to activate the sensory receptors in the feet and thus help athletes properly psych themselves before and after a competition.
As described by the firm in a statement, the Mind 001 and Mind 002 have 22 independent foam nodes in each shoe attached to a flexible and waterproof material that allows them to act as pistons as athletes move. This conveys the feel, and even texture, of the ground beneath your feet, sharpening sensory awareness, eliminating distractions, and improving concentration.
“Nike Mind is a new concept of sensory sneakers that help awaken the foot, body and mind.”said Eric Avar, Vice President and Creative Director of Innovation at Nike. “It represents a new performance paradigm and a new way to potentially improve athletes in the future.“.
Both models are the first innovations to emerge from Nike’s Mind Sciences department, an area within the Nike Sport Research Lab that is exploring the mind-body connection. The design of both products has been based on the study of the nervous system, brain activity and cognition of athletes in motion. This, Nike says, has led to unique insights that are being applied to a new category of products and services to help athletes prepare, train, compete and recover better.
Additionally, the new shoe marks the debut of the Nike Mind platform, an engineering and manufacturing technology that has been in the works for more than a decade. “For 45 years, Nike has studied the body in motion. Now, we are expanding into the mind.”commented Dr. Matthew Nurse, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Nike. “We harness the connection between the brain and body in new ways. It’s not just about running faster, it’s about having more focus, resilience and mindfulness. That’s the next frontier of performance“.
The Nike Mind platform is one of the four technological innovations that Nike presents this month. It joins Project Amplify, a world-leading powered shoe system for running and walking; Therma-FIT Air Milano, a thermal jacket with AIR technology; and Aero-FIT, a ventilation technology to promote performance in extreme conditions.
The Nike Mind 001 and Nike Mind 002 will be available for purchase in January 2026 in the Nike online store and in select physical stores.
