Graduation Project
Integrated Product Design

Revving up Rider Safety: Reducing the Risk of Hindfoot Hyper-Rotation in the MotoGP

My Thesis

REV'IT! is an international leader in motorcycle gear, based in the Netherlands. They sponsor MotoGP riders and want to expand their product portfolio to include racing boots. Currently, riders must take out a separate sponsorship deal with their competitors just for the boots, increasing the risk of losing them to one of their competitors.

As part of my graduation project, they asked me to look into racing boots in general and develop a concept for the most relevant component. As a result, I researched the riders, context, brand identity, crash mechanics, ergonomics, biomechanics, safety standards and regulations, materials and competition by doing literary research and a co-creation session with their riders combined with questionnaires and interviews with riders and gear and racing experts.

Consequently, I identified multiple areas of improvement for the boots, but the most impactful part was the ankle brace that is incorporated into the boots. Ankle injuries are prevalent and even though the riders are tougher than average, a severe injury could lead to missing a race, which impacts the chances of winning. Therefore, I set out to design a concept that would be better than the currently available options. The impact of the brace on injury has not been proven yet, but the riders experience a difference. Yet, ankle injuries still prevail.

Finding The Right Solution

Naturally you could lock the feet in concrete blocks to prevent ankle injury, but that would result in a whole new set of problems. It became clear that the perfect result is a perfect balance between protection, freedom of movement, tactile feel, grip, weight and comfort. Also, this balance greatly differs per rider, so personalisation would be of added value.

Based on the problem statement, design drivers and a new deep research dive into lower legs and injury patterns, I could start my concept ideation. Multiple rounds of prototypes (9) and compression tests, I finally found a concept that outperformed the currently available ankle braces. It took 2.1 (plantar flexed) to even 7.0 (in a neutral foot position) times more force to invert the ankle brace beyond the point of comfortable inversion. Meaning it absorbs more impact energy during a crash.

The Solution

The concept combines a comfortable, lightweight and low-profile pivoting 3D printed PA11 hard part based on a 3D scan of the rider with six reinforcing Dyneema® strings that mimic the ligamentous structures of the ankle in terms of placement and functionality. It allows for the complete active range of motion in the direction of plantar and dorsiflexion while limiting inversion and eversion in all flexion positions. The strings allow for the personalisation of the amount of limitation based on rider anatomy and preferences.

The Fundamentals

  • Understand the Rider

    A large portion of my project involved getting to know the user of the boots. Naturally, they are all different, but there are some commonalities within the group that set the riders apart from others. As part of this research, I did a co-creation session with the riders, took surveys and interviewed them.

  • Understand the Context

    The circuit and professional racing conditions demand far different solutions than the road. Minor distractions can be detrimental for performance. Crashes hit different. Walking is unimportant. And grip is everything. The high stakes, adrenaline, physical stress, and mental load are difficult to fathom when you're not living it yourself.

  • Diverge, Reverge, Converge, Repeat.

    This image summarizes the process that took me from research to ideation to embodiment design and back. Naturally, this appears more streamlined than it actually is. However, it shows that many brainstorm, iteration and test cycles based on scientific methods lie at the basis of the final result.

  • Ankle Injury Patterns

    A great deal of time went into biomechanical research and crash analytics. It was surprisingly difficult to find clear data on injury mechanics as many factors are of influence. This model summerizes this research, as it indicated the active (green) and passive (yellow) average range of motion around the axes and the limit before injury starts to occur in the ligaments and/or bones.

  • Test to Progress

    Based on the injury model on the left and a 3D scan of my foot, I designed a test setup for a compression test. The hinging foot model was designed to lock when reaching the injury angles and able to perform plantar and dorsiflexion. In each setup I could measure the distance the machine had to travel downward to reach this limit. Then I would measure how much force it required to get to that point. I tested all my 9 concepts and existing ankle braces in all kinds of foot positions, learning from each step.

  • Proof The Claims

    This image summarizes the results of the compression tests performed in different foot positions. It shows the maximum counter force (N) that the brace would deliver before reaching the angle of injury. As can be seen, the first concepts fell short compared to the competition, but the final concept limits hyper-rotation in the direction of inversion and eversion 2.1 (when plantar flexed), 7.0 (when neutral), and 3.7 (when dorsiflexed) times more force (see the Fmax in bold).

  • Embody the Concept

    The concept is a pivoting and sliding 3D printed PA11 hard part, based on a 3D scan of the rider, with six Dyneema® reinforcing cords that mimic the ligamentous structures of the ankle joints. The pivot point is on the axis of rotation found in the literature, but could be adapted to the rider's anatomy. The inner boot sits on the inside of the brace, and everything is tied together with a lacing system to ensure the foot stays in place. The exact placement of the strings, straps and laces has been thoroughly tested for comfort and protection.

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