Adidas launches AlphaEdge 4D sneakers that are printed out using light and oxygen
One day, the technique could be used to create bespoke shoes for every individual person
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Your support makes all the difference.Adidas has launched new trainers that are printed out using oxygen and light.
The futuristic new shoes draw on the latest manufacturing techniques, which Adidas says allows them to specifically shape the shoes so that they respond to the person wearing them.
Eventually, the technology could be used to allow Adidas to create shoes that are bespoke to the person wearing them. Adidas says that really a person who is heavier or lighter, taller or shorter than the average person should have their shoes adjusted accordingly – and the technique may one day allow for such specific changes to a person's sneakers.
The shoes are created with what Adidas calls Digital Light Synthesis. That is process created by a company called Carbon that works with Adidas to create the sneakers.
It is described by Adidas as "digital light projection, oxygen-permeable optics, and programmable liquid resins to generate high performance, durable polymeric product".
In short, and a little more simply, the process is something like 3D printing: engineers can shape the midsole of the shoe in a specific way, and one that can be tested out as they are created. But the big difference from normal 3D printing – and previous shoes created using it – is that it uses liquid polymer rather than solid plastic, allowing the shoes to be more light and comfortable.
It uses oxygen and light to shape that plastic. When the material is hit by light, it hardens up, and when it is hit by oxygen it stays liquid – allowing the shoes to be shaped by using those two processes.
"With AlphaEdge 4D our goal is to enhance the athlete’s preparation for their sport. Running is the foundation of every athlete’s training and at adidas we understand that each athlete exhibits different movement patterns based on their sport, stature and gender," said Andy Barr, the company's global category director for running. "4D technology unlocks the opportunity for us to deliver a product that accommodates these differences allowing the athlete to focus on the run.”
The new sneakers cost £229 and will be available in limited numbers through the Adidas app from the end of the month. They will also come to select retailers.
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