New Study Demonstrates How Cadense’s Variable Friction Technology Reduces Toe-Catch Forces During Walking

Today, Cadense, a leader in adaptive footwear and mobility technology, announced new research published by Taylor & Francis examining the biomechanics and performance of its patented Variable Friction Technology. Titled “Characterization of a Variable Friction Shoe for Foot Drop and Pilot Test with Stroke Patients,” the study evaluates how the technology responds to unintended toe contact during walking and explores its potential application among individuals recovering from stroke.

The research follows Cadense's recent publication in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, which examined self-reported fall outcomes among 705 footwear users. While that study explored real-world experiences, the new research takes a closer look at the underlying biomechanics and how changing friction at the moment of unintended toe contact can influence what happens next.

“Most conventional shoes are designed to maximize traction, but for people who have difficulty consistently clearing their feet, more grip isn't always better. When the toe catches the ground during the swing phase of walking, excessive friction can abruptly stop the foot while the rest of the body continues moving forward,” said Dr. Tyler Susko, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cadense. “Our Variable Friction Technology takes a different approach, allowing the foot to glide during an unintended scuff before transitioning to grip when body weight comes onto the shoe. Unlike traditional approaches such as ankle-foot orthoses, which mechanically support or constrain the ankle, our technology is designed to preserve voluntary ankle movement while reducing the consequences of an unintended toe scuff. These findings offer an encouraging opportunity to further explore how this approach could support mobility and rehabilitation.”

During laboratory simulated-scuff testing, conventional footwear produced 77 observed toe-catch or trip events, compared with zero observed events with the variable-friction shoe. The shoe also produced lower peak scuff forces across five common walking surfaces: hardwood, linoleum, concrete, low-pile carpet and high-pile carpet.

Cadense's patented Glide & Grip Technology is designed around the changing friction needs of the walking cycle, allowing the foot to glide forward when it unintentionally scuffs the ground before engaging grip when the wearer steps. This approach challenges the conventional assumption that maximizing traction throughout every phase of walking is always beneficial.

Developed through more than a decade of research at MIT and the University of California Santa Barbara, the technology brings principles of gait science and rehabilitation into everyday footwear. It is designed to support people experiencing challenges such as shuffling, foot drop, toe drag and instability.

The new study also explores the technology's potential in rehabilitation through an initial clinical pilot involving three participants with stroke-related foot drop. Unlike traditional approaches such as ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), which mechanically support or constrain the ankle to help improve foot clearance, Variable Friction Technology does not attempt to dorsiflex or reposition the ankle. Instead, it is designed to preserve voluntary ankle movement while reducing the consequences of an unintended toe scuff.

Key findings from the study include:

• Zero observed toe-catch events: Conventional footwear produced 77 observed toe-catch or trip events during simulated-scuff testing, including 71 with rubber-soled shoes, five with foam-soled shoes and one with leather-soled shoes. The variable-friction shoe produced zero observed events.
• Reduced scuff forces: The variable-friction shoe produced lower peak scuff forces across five common walking surfaces.
• Durability: The shoe maintained its basic friction behavior following simulated aging and completed one million scuff cycles during abrasion-to-failure testing without failure.
• Encouraging early clinical findings: Following a two-week variable-friction shoe phase, all three stroke participants increased their 10-meter walking speed and walked farther during the six-minute walk test. Two exceeded the reported minimal detectable change on the six-minute walk test.
• Patient preference: At approximately one-year follow-up, all three participants reported adopting the variable-friction shoes as their primary walking device rather than their prescribed AFO and regular shoes.

While the clinical pilot is preliminary and involves only three participants, the findings offer an encouraging early signal for further investigation into how adaptive footwear could support mobility and rehabilitation.

For people living with mobility challenges, an unexpected toe catch can disrupt movement and contribute to trip-related risk. By addressing the mechanics of an unintended scuff rather than simply maximizing traction, Cadense is advancing a different approach to footwear design that considers how people move throughout each step.

“For too long, footwear has been designed around the assumption that more traction is always better,” said Johannes Sauer, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cadense. “At Cadense, we're rethinking that approach by combining gait science, rehabilitation research and adaptive technology to create footwear that responds to how people actually move. Our goal is to bring research-driven innovation into everyday footwear and help more people experiencing walking challenges move more naturally, confidently and independently.”

The latest findings add to Cadense's growing body of research exploring how adaptive footwear can support mobility and address walking-related challenges. As the company continues to advance its Variable Friction Technology, it remains focused on translating biomechanical research into practical footwear solutions designed to help people move with greater confidence and independence.

To read the full study, visit: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10400435.2026.2755450

To learn more about Cadense and its Variable Friction Technology, visit: https://cadense.com/

Study Citation: Garcia, N., et al. (2026). “Characterization of a Variable Friction Shoe for Foot Drop and Pilot Test with Stroke Patients.” Assistive Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2026.2755450