Asics has opened a new academic research and development laboratory on the University of Michigan‘s Ann Arbor campus.
Called the Asics Michigan Sport Innovation Center (AMSI) Lab, the Japanese athletic brand noted that the facility is designed to “create a more direct path” from university research to real-world sport innovation and product development.
In the lab, university researchers will work alongside Asics scientists, product developers, and athletes to prototype, test, and refine ideas with real-world applications, the company said. It will also support the overall AMSI, a joint research program established through a broader research collaboration between the company and university in December.
To bring the concept to life, ASMI is partnering with six faculty members who will initiate projects spanning biomechanics, materials science, robotics, design, computer vision, and athlete preferences and behavior, with potential applications to future running footwear, apparel, and performance technologies. These faculty members include Ram Vasudevan, Ph.D.; Talia Moore, Ph.D.; Max Shtein, Ph.D.; Sean Ahlquist, Ph.D.; Elliott Rouse, Ph.D.; and Richard Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Asics added that athletes of all levels of participation and performance will provide real-world feedback throughout the research process, helping researchers evaluate how concepts perform outside the laboratory.
As research progresses, Asics noted that findings from AMSI Lab will move into new experiments, technologies, and product concepts, creating a more direct pipeline from academic discovery and athlete insight to real-world innovation.
Research from AMSI Lab is expected to begin informing new Asics running and performance products by 2028, with additional concepts and applications developing over time.
Mitsuyuki Tominaga, president and chief operating officer of Asics Corporation, said in a statement that working with the University of Michigan allows the company to “engage with new thinking across science, engineering, and design that can challenge how we approach performance innovation.”
“Asics has always placed athletes at the center of its research and product development,” Tominaga said. “Our goal is to turn that knowledge into meaningful advances that help people move.”
Domenico Grasso, president of the University of Michigan, added that the university and Asics “share the conviction that research should benefit people by providing what they need to live and move well.”
“Today, that shared philosophy finds a home here in Ann Arbor,” Grasso said. “The AMSI Lab connects Michigan researchers from across the university with Asics innovators to advance scientific research and accelerate the development of materials to help athletes of all levels.”
The collaboration represents a commitment by Asics of $25 million and is supported by Asics Institute of Sport Science America (ISS America), the company’s first U.S. research entity. ISS America connects work conducted in Michigan with ASICS’ broader global R&D network, including the Asics Institute of Sport Science Global Headquarters in Kobe, Japan.
“AMSI Lab gives us a way to move more quickly from research questions to experimentation, athlete feedback, and product learning,” Norihiko Taniguchi, chief executive officer of ISS America and co-director of the AMSI, added. “What we learn here can directly inform future Asics research and help shape new approaches to running and performance innovation.”