To start the push into consumers’ hands, Digital Light Synthesis will become an integral part of Speedfactory, the adidas workshop in Ansbach, Germany. The reason why: Thanks to biometric data, the shoes can be produced to match the anatomy of individual wearers. Actually, traditional prototyping or moulding will no longer be necessary. On the back-end, the technology – backed by 17 years of running data – also changes the way shoes are designed, prototyped, and manufactured. The process, according to the press release, “uses digital light projection, oxygen-permeable optics, and programmable liquid resins to generate high-performance, durable polymeric products.” This evolution takes 2015’s Futurecraft 3D platform one step further by utilizing an entirely new manufacturing process: The Futurecraft 4D model is crafted with light and oxygen using Digital Light Synthesis, a technology pioneered by Silicon Valley-based tech company Carbon.Ĭreated to meet the needs of athletes for responsive, lightweight, and cushioned shoes, Digital Light Synthesis is best described with a lot of tech jargon. For traction, the Futurecraft 4D midsole sits on a black, grid-shaped outsole. It rests on the web-like polymer midsole that requires no capsule or foam insert for impact absorption – the complex web of polymer is the cushioning. The woven mesh upper is contoured and close-fitting. The resulting look is lightweight and highly futuristic. And did we mention that the resulting web of intertwined elastic polymer in the sole looks like out of a sci-fi movie? Headed for release this month in a limited 300-pair drop, the Futurecraft 4D features a midsole crafted with a novel digital manufacturing process that creates longer-lasting and better-performing soles than processes like 3D-printing. Officially departing from 3D-printing, the Herzogenaurach-based company is pushing additive manufacturing in the sport industry to the next level with the Futurecraft 4D model. Recently, 3D-printing has been heralded as the “next big thing” in athletic footwear design, but adidas is already taking the next step into the future.
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