Stratasys collaborates to create innovative 3D printed wearable art

“Footwear Time-Based Design” - Evolve and Sepiida Shoes.

Assa Ashuach’s research project explored conceptual footwear design and manufacturing methodologies resulting in two shoe designs that address sustainability as well as personalization. Assa focused on the development of material combinations as well as fabrication methods to create sustainable alternatives to current designs. The footwear designs include an evolutionary artificial intelligence (AI) chip that records and stores wearers’ data in real time and uses this information to inform the next generation production.

Evolve shoe.

The Evolve shoe contains a personalized midsole ‘Evolve Sensor’ that studies its wearer while recording their movement data (foot inclination, temperature, pressure and friction, etc.). The information collected through the sensor is used by the production team to create the next generation of shoe which will therefore include improved design features based on performance.

This design was printed on the Stratasys J750™ Digital Anatomy™ 3D Printer using a combination of materials typically used for ultra-realistic anatomic models, including TissueMatrix™, a skin-soft, contractile material that is flexible but durable; BoneMatrix™, a strong, flexible-rigid material with shape-memory; and GelMatrix™ and GelSupport™, which deposit patterns that allow for the printing of large and small, complex vascular structures with easily removable internal support material. The endless density grade possibilities and variety of materials used in this design provide incomparable softness and support.

“We can research and develop an improved and sustainable design methodology that offers greater value to the user. This is achieved by changing current practices and making one bespoke pair of shoes rather than thousands of pairs sent to market in standard sizes,” says Assa Ashuach, Architectural Designer. “This project is also about a new kind of essential sensitive information exchange. We are asking the user to disclose personal biometric and ergonomic data and in return we deliver an enhanced footwear design that functions better on the domains of physical and visual bespoke performance.”

Sepiida shoe.

The Sepiida shoe leverages the technologies of the Evolve shoe, including its rubber-like midsole, while taking design inspiration from the internal shell of the cuttlefish, resulting in a “shoe sock.” The upper sock-like section of the design was printed directly on textile using the Stratasys J850 3DFashion printer, which allowed for greater control over visual effects and material properties such as aerodynamic stretchability and durability.

Naomi Kaempfer, Creative Director for Stratasys, says AI-based consumer products like Ashuach’s shoes open the door to personalized “self-learning” performance products. “We are curious to research solutions that can impact the fashion market, consumer experience, and responsible production,” she said. “Assa’s Evolve shoes are unique in their ‘black box’ concept; incorporating code into the product that behaves like DNA, allowing the design of the shoe to mutate and improve with each manufacturing generation.”