Peformance enhancing light weight 3D printed shoe developed for Olympic athletes

Developing the best performance shoes for Olympic athletes has always been the craving for shoe manufacturers, trying to fine tune mechanical properties of sprint shoe to enhance athletic performance. Luc Fusaro a creative engineer and designer has developed a customized running shoe for Olympic athletes that claims to increase their performance by 3.5%, which is quite considerable taking into account the importance of shading seconds off the final time in key sprint events. The shoe is 3D printed to maintain the customizable properties, thereby not restricting the manufacturing process to mere standard dimensions.

Luc calls the working prototype of this shoe as Designed to Win which weighs in at 96 grams and the soles of the shoe are developed with different stiffness properties and fully tested on athletes. This athlete specific sprint shoe takes the 3D scan of athlete’s feet and thereafter the exact stiffness levels of the shoe are incorporated into the sole. The mechanical behavior of the sole is then analyzed using a computer program and thereafter additive manufacturing technique is used which is followed by lab tests for fine tuning the force and reactivity.

Clearly this lightest shoe ever made for Olympic athletes will give a tactical advantage in sprint events. Currently there are pressure tests being conducted using this prototype shoe to gauge the key elements and improve the performance even further. So keep a watch out for the Designed to Win athletic sprint shoe to change the manufacturing process all together as customizable shoes will take the world by surprise.

Via: FashioningTech