Josefina Bueno, regional minister of innovation, universities, science and digital society, alongside Jordi JohnSonia Tirado, director of innovation, and Ruben Alvaro, mayor of Elda, visited the SHOE USER EXPERIENCE UX-LAB, a new Shoes Technologies Center. This Inescop laboratory specializes in footwear with a user-centered focus and employs the most advanced health and comfort technologies in the field.
During the presentation, the regional minister highlighted the joint project between the ministry and Inescop. The effort aims to boost the competitiveness of the regional business base and provide solutions that meet rising consumer expectations for shoe quality, comfort, customization and sustainability.
She emphasized the importance of creating a ministerial hub for innovation and collaboration in R&D and in the Valencian community’s technology institutes. The commitment is to bring stability and strength to the Valencian research system. As part of the Smart Specialization Strategy S3, the Valencian Government is investing 3.3 million euros to support projects like this at technology institutes that help address current societal challenges.
The lab’s footprint was recognized by the president of the Shoe Technology Center, who noted that comfort, together with user experience, is not only a differentiator for shoe brands but also a decisive factor in purchasing decisions. Design in comfort is highlighted as one of the main criteria influencing buyer choice and, functionally, the most important element in the overall experience of wearing shoes.
To appraise shoe comfort, Inescop launched a state-of-the-art showroom for comprehensive footwear evaluation. Prospective users will benefit from technological solutions such as perceptual studies using motion analysis, thermography, digitization and neuroscientific approaches, according to Gate.
Beyond the technical know-how of the staff, the lab focuses on critical aspects such as fit, sizing and comfort. This makes the facility a key resource for advising shoe companies on how to develop products that are high quality, unique and differentiated.
The minister was accompanied by the mayor of Elda during the visit to the new Inescop laboratory, underscoring the joint effort between regional authorities and research institutions.
An area that centers on the consumer
The initiative also aims to safeguard the well-being and health of shoe wearers. Footwear UX-LAB is prepared to conduct comprehensive, real-world evaluations of shoes with users, addressing preventive needs across populations and supporting groups with conditions such as diabetes or obesity.
The new showroom for holistic footwear assessment relies on collaboration with companies, other research groups and universities. This space enables companies to focus on the consumer, leading to better products and the opening of new markets with a higher demand for quality and performance, according to Porta.
In short, Inescop’s work with FOOTWEAR UX-LAB seeks to generate knowledge and produce robust scientific evidence to apply health, safety and sustainability criteria in the footwear sector. The aim is to evaluate one of the most commercially driven consumer goods, shoes, with rigor and relevance for industry and wearers alike.