Nike is taking a groundbreaking step into neuroscience in sports with the debut of its first neuroscience-based footwear, the Nike Mind 001 and Mind 002. These two silhouettes introduce the Nike Mind platform, a decade-long project that bridges athletic performance with the power of the human mind. The collection will launch globally in January 2026 at nike.com and select retail stores.
Nike innovation redefines the mind-body connection
Representing a major leap in Nike innovation, the Mind 001 and Mind 002 were developed in collaboration with neuroscientists to enhance focus, calm, and presence before and after competition. Engineered to activate sensory receptors in the feet, the footwear stimulates key neural pathways, helping athletes tune into their bodies and clear mental distractions.
Each shoe features 22 independent foam nodes that move and compress underfoot, mimicking the sensation of being barefoot while maintaining the protection and comfort of advanced performance gear. This tactile interaction deepens an athlete’s awareness of movement, transforming footwear into a sensory experience that grounds and centers the wearer.
Eric Avar, Nike’s VP and Creative Director of Innovation, described the concept as a “new paradigm of performance” — one that reawakens the connection between body and mind through touch, rhythm, and balance.
Neuroscience in sports: a new frontier for performance
The Nike Mind platform marks the first project from the brand’s Mind Science Department, a specialized team within the Nike Sport Research Lab. Equipped with one of the few mobile brain and body imaging labs in the world, the department’s scientists study how sensory feedback influences focus, recovery, and resilience.
Dr. Matthew Nurse, Chief Science Officer at Nike, explained that the new designs are “the first shoes built from the brain down.” Using data from brain scans and sensory mapping, the team strategically positioned each foam node according to where the foot is most sensitive — denser in the forefoot and more spaced out in the heel.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, one of the first athletes to test the shoes, shared that the footwear helps him stay balanced and present on the pitch. His feedback underscores Nike’s broader mission: to create tools that help every athlete — professional or everyday — enhance both performance and mindfulness.
The future of Nike footwear
Nike Mind is more than just a new product; it signals the beginning of a whole new field of athletic design, fusing neuroscience, sports engineering and holistic wellbeing. By examining how perception and attention influence movement, Nike is redefining the purpose of footwear.
The Nike Mind 001 mule and Mind 002 sneaker will be available January 2026, marking the start of a future where technology doesn’t just support performance — it enhances human connection.
Courtesy of NIKE
