The worldwide known trainer manufacturer Adidas wants to take craftsmanship to the next level with its recently announced Futurecraft 3D their shoes LITERALLY “made-for-you”.
This Futurecraft 3D story is the first chapter on the Adidas Futurecraft Series:
” Futurecraft is our sandbox. It is how we challenge ourselves every day to explore the boundaries of our craft. Driving material and process innovation, bringing the familiar into the future. Marrying the qualities of handcrafting and prototyping with the limitless potential of new manufacturing technologies. Futurecraft is stripped back – fast, raw and real – it is our approach to design.”
Paul Gaudio, Creative Director, Adidas
Futurecraft 3D is possible through an open source partnership with Materialise , a pioneer and leading specialist in 3D printing.
What we will have here is something I personally wish for every time I go in the venture of buying a pair of shoes.
Let’s imagine this: you’re going to the Adidas store to buy a new pair of shoes, you find the model you like but when asking the sales team about your size availability they tells you that they don’t have that size (something that happens almost every single time to me).
With Futurecraf 3D all you need to do is run briefly on a treadmill and instantly getting a 3D-printed running shoe (The Adidas 3D-printed midsole)
Creating a flexible, fully breathable carbon copy of the person’s own footprint, matching exact contours and pressure points, it will set the person up for the best running experience. Linked with existing data sourcing and “foot scan” technologies they can give everything you need.
Futurecraft 3D is a prototype and a statement of intent. We have used a one-of-its-kind combination of process and material in an entirely new way. Our 3D-printed midsole not only allows us to make a great running shoe, but also to use performance data to drive truly bespoke experiences, meeting the needs of any athlete.
Eric Liedtke, Executive Board Member of adidas AG, responsible for Global Brands
In its 3D concept, Adidas provides the ultimate personalised experience for all athletes, creating a unique combination of material and process. The production breakthrough will take the running shoe standard to the next level, offering unprecedented individualised support, to enable athletes to perform at their best.
Of course you will surely ask “What if it rains?” or “What if I stepped on something unpleasant?” Remember this is just the prototype and as you’d expect upgrades sure will be made.
What do you think of this new idea of Adidas? Are you going to try one yourself if they make it to your local market?
Let us know in the comment or tweet us using #techbuzzireland
Stay tuned for more!
Source: Youtube, Adidas Group
