In major sporting events such as the Olympics, victory may depend on a split second. It is not surprising that professional sports often use the latest scientific developments that can provide an advantage over rivals.
French engineer and designer Luc Fusaro has developed a unique footwear manufacturing technology that is created after a three-dimensional scan of an athlete’s foot.
Such sneakers are made individually for each person, taking into account the structural features of his body. Initially, based on the image of the legs, the designer creates a digital 3D model of the soles with varying degrees of stiffness. These soles are then printed on a sintered nylon 3D printer.
A series of laboratory tests made it possible to adjust the mechanical properties of shoes to the individual physical abilities of the athlete. The result was a prototype ultralight running shoes for running weighing only 96 grams.
"Studies have shown that such shoes improve the performance of athletes by 3,5%, and this can be a decisive factor for victory," - says the official website of the project.
We add that a project called "Designed To Win" formed the basis of Fusaro's master's thesis at the Royal College of Art in London (Royal College of Art).
Now Luke continues to refine the prototype to make it as adapted as possible to the individual characteristics of each athlete.
Unfortunately, we will not see new sneakers on the legs of Usain Bolt and other sprinters at the upcoming Olympic Games in London. But, quite possibly, Fusaro’s work will become the standard for the production of high-tech sports shoes in the near future, vesti.ru reports.
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