Cambridge Design Partnership and ECCO step into customised footwear

ECCO’s QUANT-U project takes individual data to produce customised silicone midsoles via an in-store additive manufacturing process.

In the space of a few minutes, consumers receive a full digital analysis of their foot structure and the way they move. Shoes are then tailored to their specific requirements in a few hours.

A wearable sensor embedded in the soles of the test shoes collect data using gyroscopes, pressure sensors and accelerometers – as well as recording the temperature and humidity inside each shoe – to create a unique digital footprint.

This data is autonomously translated into geometries for in-store 3D printing of shoes based on each individual’s biomechanical and orthotic parameters.

“The biggest challenge was the fact that the sensors are very close to the ground, hidden inside shoes and covered by a human body – yet they need to send data from both shoes simultaneously to a connected device such as a mobile phone,” said Roberto Basile, a software engineer at CDP. “We needed to maintain reliable communication – using Bluetooth Low Energy – despite the human body acting as an obstacle to the wireless signals. The mechanical system inside the sensor had to be robust enough for people to walk on it, while the battery had to be small and last at least three days without being recharged.”