European Inventor Awards - The 2026 trophy. (5)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Each year, the European Inventor Award winners receive a trophy in the shape of a sail. Pun intended in English, although when the power of the wind was first harnessed for sailing, circa 5000 BC, on Egypt’s River Nile, the invention is certainly assumed to have promoted new trade routes. In any event, the sail design holds up well across cultures as a symbol of adventure or discovery, and by extension, innovation.

The stunning sail trophy was designed by the German industrial Product Designer, Prof. Miriam Irle. Most importantly, the sail trophy was also designed with the insight that it would be fabricated each year in a material significant to the location of the awards ceremony. Thus, for example, when the European Inventor Awards ceremony was held in Venice, Italy, the trophies were made of Murano glass. Likewise, when the European Inventor Awards were held in Lisbon, Portugal, the sail trophies were made of azulejo porcelain. Whereas, when the ceremony was held in France, the sail trophies were fabricated using computer-aided parametric modeling for 3D stereolithographic printing. As a result, each of the 2018 sail trophies featured different and intricate latticework. Six lattice designs, for the six award categories, each evoking the landmark Eiffel Tower's revolutionary, open-lattice ironwork, created using 18,000 pre-cut iron pieces, and built from 1887 to 1889.

The year 2026 was no exception in Berlin, Germany. However, the fabricator’s name and the materials used for the trophies were both withheld at the EPO website.*  An image of the 2026 Inventor Awards Trophy, which appears to be crafted of metal, is inset above. 

-----

*Note: According to Pr. Miriam Irle (personal communication), the early agreed-upon trophy designer was the well-known Berlin jewelry maker Luise Zücker. A selection which could not be confirmed at the time of the Ceremony.  

References
European Inventor Award
https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/european-inventor-award
Miriam Irle
https://www.miriam-irle.com/

European Inventor Awards - The 2026 winners! (4)

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

On July 2nd, 2026, the winning European Inventors were announced during a ceremony held in Berlin, Germany. The winners in the four categories of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Research, and Non-EPO Countries, plus the Popular Prize, and a Lifetime Achievement Award were the following:  

• Industry: Angeliki Triantafyllou (Greece/Sweden) 
• SMEs: Franck Zal (France)
• Research: Sir Adrian V.S. Hill (Ireland, United Kingdom)
• Non-EPO Countries: Yu Haijun and Xie Yinghao (China) 
• Lifetime Achievement: Rainer Marquardt (Germany) 
• Popular Prize: Yu Haijun and Xie Yinghao (China)

In 2027, the European Patent Office (EPO) will be honoring Young Inventors < 30 years old.  The ceremony will take place in Vienna (Austria), at a date yet to be announced. The nomination period is now open, until September 30th, 2026. Please click here to access the EPO nomination platform. 

If you missed the Awards Ceremony on July 2nd, 2026, a link to the YouTube video recording of the event is included below the group picture. The ceremony lasts about 80 minutes. 

Link to July 2, 2026 European Inventor Awards Ceremony held in Berlin, Germany

References

European Patent Office
www.epo.org

Oh, patents! HOKA (4) - Midsole design.

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Like the brand name HOKA, the 2017 Arahi running shoes also have a Maori name. Arahi in the Maori language of New Zealand means “to lead” or “to guide”, consonant with “pathfinder”. Additionally, the 2017 HOKA One One* Arahi midsole is a patented design. 

The US design patent USD790174, titled Footwear midsole was awarded on June 27, 2017, to Kyle Pulli (US), and assigned to Deckers Outdoor Corporation in California. As a reminder, a US design patent covers the ornamental properties of an invention, or what the object looks like. In contrast, a US utility patent covers the functional properties of the design, or how an invention works and/or is manufactured (USPTO – MPEP).

The below patent Figure 1 depicts a front perspective view of the patented design, together with an image of a marketed 2017 HOKA One One Arahi women’s running shoe. The broken lines on the drawing indicate those parts of the design that are excluded from patent protection. 

_____

*Note - Originally, the brand name HOKA, meaning "to fly" in Maori, was called HOKA One One - "to fly over the earth", pronounced "Oh-nay, Oh-nay", a term which means "earth" in Maori. Thus, some of the early models are prefixed with the original brand name HOKA One One. 

 

References

Deckers (website)

https://www.deckers.com/

HOKA (website)

https://www.hoka.com/en/us/

USPTO MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent.

https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

Oh, patents! HOKA (3) - midsole design.

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The HOKA Speedgoat 6 trail-running shoe also features a patented midsole. The US design patent, USD992249, titled Footwear midsole, was awarded on July 18, 2023, to three inventors: Matthew James Head (US), Tom Matic (GB) and Tom Weightman(GB). The patent is assigned to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, in California.

Below the patent Figure 3 depicts a side elevation view of the patented design. Broken lines at the junction of the midsole and upper indicate the portions of the design that are unclaimed in the patent. As a reminder, a US design patent covers the ornamental properties of an invention, or what the object looks like. In contrast, a US utility patent covers the functional aspects of an invention, or how an invention works and/or is manufactured (USPTO – MPEP).

The image of a HOKA Speedgoat 6 GTX sports shoe is also included below, showing a marketed embodiment of the patented midsole design.

*****

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fastest goat?

Reference
HOKA (website)
https://www.hoka.com/en/us/

USPTO MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent.

https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

Oh, patents! HOKA (2) - midsole design.

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Midsoles are at the heart of HOKA footwear innovation. Embedded with varying support structures, HOKA midsoles provide foam cushioning and variable curves, carefully calculated to harness more or less propulsion, depending on the user’s purposes (e.g., running, jogging or walking).

The US design patent, USD790175S, titled Footwear midsole, was awarded on June 27th, 2017, to Kyle Pulli, and assigned to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, the company that acquired HOKA in 2013. As a reminder, a US design patent covers the ornamental properties of an invention, or what the invention looks like. In contrast, a US utility patent covers the functional properties of an invention, or how an invention works and/or is manufactured (USPTO – MPEP).

The patent Figure 1 below depicts a front perspective view of the midsole design. The broken lines on the drawing indicate those parts of the design that are excluded from patent protection. The image of a 2017 HOKA One One* Gaviota women’s shoe, depicting a marketed embodiment of the patented midsole design, is also included below. 

-----

*Note - Originally, the brand name HOKA, meaning "to fly" in Maori, was called HOKA One One - "to fly over the earth", pronounced "Oh-nay, Oh-nay", a term which means "earth" in Maori. Thus, some of the early models are prefixed with the original brand name HOKA One One. 

References

Deckers (website)

https://deckers.com/

HOKA (website)
https://www.hoka.com/en/us/
USPTO MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent.
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

Oh, patents! HOKA (1)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann  

The term HOKA, meaning “to fly”" in the Maori language of New Zealand, depicts the silhouette of a bird soaring through the brand name “O”. The brand name HOKA is consonant with the founders’ desire to design footwear that would properly cushion trail running, while providing propulsion for speed that would be as effortless and exhilarating as downhill skiing. A sport all too familiar to both founders, born and raised in the French Alps, having nurtured a life-long love of the outdoors, skiing in particular. Thus, according to Jean-Luc Diard, one of the co-founders, HOKA footwear was designed XXXL (i.e., both extra, extra, extra light, and extra, extra, extra large) to harness the required patented performances enabling users to "fly over the earth" running, jogging or walking.

HOKA was founded in Annecy (France) in 2009, gaining almost immediate traction within the sports community. Deckers, the American, multinational, shoe and apparel company then acquired HOKA in 2013, transforming HOKA into a very popular international, multi-million-dollar business.

Propulsion and cushioning in HOKA footwear for running, jogging or walking, is a patented invention. The US utility patent, US12022912B2, titled Footwear with stabilizing sole, was awarded on July 2nd, 2024, to Jean-Luc Diard, (FR); Stephen Liu, (CN); Vincent Bouillard, (FR) and Christophe Aubonnet, (FR). The patent is assigned to Deckers Outdoor Corporation in Goleta, California.

The patent recites stabilizing footwear with inventive cushioning and suspension to harness the problem of shock absorption when the user’s body impacts the ground. The force of impact for each foot striking the ground is 5 times the user’s weight, with the highest impact at the heel area. When properly channeled and cushioned, the force of impact also serves to propulse the body forward. Thus, the invention footwear cleverly addresses the forces of impact and propulsion in the design of HOKA soles.

Figure 1, extracted from the patent, depicts a right side view of the HOKA invention footwear 20, comprising a sole 22 with a midsole 24 and an outsole 26. The outsole 26 has a bottom surface 112, in contact with the ground 34. The midsole 24, which provides cushioning, extends from a heel portion 30 to a toe portion 36. The midsole 24 has three thicknesses: T1 at the heel 30 portion, measuring 3.5 to 4.5 cm; T2 at midfoot 38, measuring 4 to 6 cm; and T3, measuring 3 to 5 cm at the forefoot 40 of the footwear. The midsole 24 also has a certain height from the ground 34 at the heel portion and another height from the ground 34 at the toe portion 36, so that the midsole curves down from the heel portion 30 to the midfoot 38, and then curves up from the midfoot 38 to the toe portion 36. Both midsole curves are part of what is designated Metarocker™ technology for HOKA marketing, designed to assist in propelling the body forward with each stride.

A strap 110 is positioned above the heel portion 30 that the user can grab to adjust the footwear. A wider stabilizing portion 44 beneath the rear portion 86 of the midsole 24, extends beyond the midsole 24 to provide balance and stability on various uneven surfaces, such as on trails. The side 98 of the vamp 96 has tabs 102 with loops, and tabs 106 with holes, to enable threading of laces. A tongue 54 forms part of the upper 28, connected to the sole.

To further propel the body forward various carbon fiber or metal supports are embedded in the sole, depending on the model. Figure 76 depicts one embodiment of the Metarocker™ sole support 446. This support 446 comprises a first support member 448 with an upper part 452 and a lower part 456; and a second support member 450 with a support part 458 and a lower part 460. The support is designed to flex and release with each stride, to enhance propulsion.

The abstract of the invention is included below, together with an image of one the many HOKA footwear models, specifically the Speedgoat 6 GTX for women.

A footwear component that includes a sole including a recessed area and a support member positioned in the recessed area, where the support member includes a main support, a front support that extends at least partially over a front end of the main support, and a rear support that extends at least partially below a rear end of the main support. A cushion member is positioned between the front support and the main support or the rear support and the main support, where the cushion member is configured to control movement of the front support or the rear support. [Abstract US12022912B2]

------

* Note - Originally, the brand name HOKA, meaning "to fly" in Maori, was called HOKA One One - "to fly over the earth", pronounced "Oh-nay, Oh-nay", a term which means "earth" in Maori. Thus, you will find that some of the early models are prefixed with the original brand name HOKA One One. 

References

Deckers Brands

https://www.deckers.com/

HOKA (website)

https://www.hoka.com/en/us

HOKA (Aug, 21, 2024) Humans of Hoka. Interview with the founders Nicolas Mermoud and JL Diard. Hoka.com
https://www.hoka.com/en/us/blog-post/?id=humans-of-hoka-the-founders

Oh, patents! The SoftFoot Pro, a motorless robotic foot.

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Designed at the Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia), the fully passive (motorless), anthropomorphic and flexible SoftFoot Pro was invented to improve the state of the art in prosthetic feet, preferably fitted to a human limb, but also compatible with a humanoid robot. Specifically, the Softfoot Pro was designed to remedy the incidence of falls among lower limb prosthetic users (LLPUs), 50% of whom experience falls at least once a year, resulting in additional injury (Pace, A., Dimitrov, H., Jakubowitz, E. et al. (2026). 

Indeed, according to the inventors, the prior art of prosthetic feet is generally too rigid and/or heavy to readily negotiate uneven or rugged terrain. In turn, stepping on obstacles risks destabilizing and altering the LLPUs’ gait, invoking a fall or long-term sequela such as osteoarthritis. Surface obstacles also place an extra burden on the cognition of LLPUs in the effort to alter their stride, and the extra attention required to successfully negotiate uneven-surface hurdles. Thus, the SoftFoot Pro was created to conform to uneven surfaces, even slippery ones. Ultimately, the SoftFoot Pro was designed to respond to any surface, while creating a comfortable and easy stride for LLPUs, and minimizing cognitive stress. Because of its designed anthropomorphic flexibility, emulating the tarsus, metatarsus, and phalanges skeletal anatomy, as well as the plantar fascia, the SoftFoot Pro also facilitates the performance of everyday tasks, such as bending on one knee to tie a shoelace.

The SoftFoot Pro invention is recited in the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) patent WO2026003774A1, titled Robotic foot. The patent was awarded on February 1st, 2026, to seven inventors: Antonio Bicchi, Manuel Giuseppe Catalano, Giorgio Grioli, Manel  Barbarossa, Emanuele Sessa, Anna Pace and Matteo Crotti. The joint applicants were Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, in Genoa, Italy, and the Università Di Pisa, in Italy. 

Below, the patent Figure 1 depicting a perspective view of the SoftFoot Pro (1), together with the Abstract of the invention, indexing the drawing. In a nutshell, the patent Figure 1 depicts the titanium mobile arch system (4) of the foot (1), with a hinge (6), defining a rotational axis, and connected to a joint (2), receiving the fitted human limb or humanoid device. The arch system (4) is connected to five parallel plastic chains, forming a surface contact organ (3). Each of the parallel plastic chains is made of high-strength automotive plastic modules, each connected via an inextensible transversal cable, attached at the heel (5) of the foot (1). The plastic chains have two rotational axes (3a) and (3b), with pairs of plastic links between each module. The inextensible cable system is meant to emulate the biomechanical windlass phenomenon, which stiffens the fascia to stabilize the arch by evenly distributing forces to the ground, whereas the plastic links provide flexibility to the modules, also functioning as shock absorbers. 

A foot (1) is configured to rest on a walkable surface (1b) and comprising: a joint (2) to a prosthesis (1a); a contact organ (3) defining a deformable contact area of the foot (1) with the walkable surface (1b); a first body (4) defining the frontal arch of the foot (1), a first end (4a) proximal to the joint (2) and an additional first end (4b); a second body (5) defining the heel of the foot (1), a second extremity (5a) proximal to the joint (2) and an additional second extremity (5b) distal to the attachment (2); an ankle hinge (6) defining a main axis (6a) of mutual rotation between the first body (4), second body (5) and joint (2) and interposed between both first extremities (4a, 4b) and second extremities (5a, 5b). The foot also involves the contact organ (3) connecting the additional ends (4b, 5b); and also first elastic means (7) and second elastic means (8) connecting the first end (4a) and second end (5a) to the joint (2), respectively.

[Abstract WO2026003774A1]

Below, the close-up image of a marketed SoftFoot embodiment, together with an Italian Institute of Technology (ITT) Youtube video. 

.

References

Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)
https://www.iit.it/
IIT (07-11-2024). Introducing SoftFoot Pro: a cutting-edge motorless, flexible and waterproof artificial foot. Italian Institute of Technology.
https://opentalk.iit.it/en/introducing-softfoot-pro-a-cutting-edge-motorless-flexible-and-waterproof-artificial-foot/
Pace, A., Dimitrov, H., Jakubowitz, E. et al. (2026). The SoftFoot Pro: an anthropomorphic and adaptive soft articulated prosthetic foot. Nature Communications 17, 1459 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-68194-2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-68194-2