At the Wearable Futures conference, London designer and researcher Shamees Aden
debuted a running shoe concept that will put your worn out kicks to
shame. The shoes, which he's developing with University of Southern
Denmark professor Martin Hanczyc, are 3D printed from a synthetic
biological material that can repair itself overnight.
The running shoes are the
product of Aden's study of protocells. The basic protocell molecules are
not themselves alive, but can be combined to create living organisms.
Mixing different protocells creates different properties, and allows
them to be programmed to behave differently depending on heat, light,
and pressure. The shoes' unique construction allows them to be 3D
printed to the exact size of the user's foot, so they would fit like a
second skin. While running, the shoes would react to pressure and
movement, providing extra cushioning when needed.
"The cells have the capability to inflate and deflate and to respond to pressure," Aden tells Dezeen.
"As you're running on different grounds and textures it's able to
inflate or deflate depending on the pressure you put onto it and could
help support you as a runner.""
