Nike unveils new digitally-enhanced footwear

Sportswear maker Nike has added a new dimension to its impressive Nike+ stable: basketball and training shoes that measure your speed and jump force.

Unveiled in New York on Wednesday, the American company says the Nike+ Basketball experience "breaks down the user's game to deliver information and measurement, which in turn provides motivation... [it] measures how high, how hard and how quick players play each game."

Also unveiled was the Nike+ Training shoe.

Each shoe has a built-in Nike+ pressure sensor which collects information about the user's movement. This information is then wirelessly transmitted to the user's phone, where it is "translated into different metrics delivering previously unknown information about either their workout or their game".

The unveiling ceremony for the products was attended by American sprinter Allyson Felix, New York Giants footballer Victor Cruz and Filipino world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

The latest campaign for the Nike+ products features basketball star LeBron James, soccer player Hope Solo and tennis champion Rafael Nadal, as well as Felix and Pacquiao.

James says of Nike+ Basketball: "When you're growing up and playing the game of basketball, your friends are your competition. Young players will be excited to track their stats to earn bragging rights or showcase their best plays on video. They’ll be anxious to get back out on the court to improve their stats."

The first shoe from the Nike+ Basketball line is the Hyperdunk+, to be worn by James later in the year, and Lunar Hyper Workout+ for Women and the Lunar TR 1+ for men from the Nike+ Training line.

The Nike+ brand was first launched in 2006 and, says the company, has since grown into a community comprising six million athletes.

All styles of Nike+ footwear will be available from late June 2012 in the northern hemisphere.