For optimal comfort, it is important that shoes fit perfectly and support the foot optimally. However, every foot is unique and therefore requires a different sole design. ECCO therefore designed and produced customised midsoles for customers on site during a recent pilot project at its concept shop in Amsterdam.
The pilot project is called QUANT-U and was developed by ECCO in collaboration with Dassault Systèmes' FashionLab. The project was launched by ECCO at its W21 concept shop in Amsterdam in April 2018. A select group of participants could have personalised midsoles fitted during the project. These were then printed on site using a 3D printer.
Three steps
QUANT-U combines multiple technologies to design and produce personalised soles on site. The process consists of three steps:
- Creating a digital footprint
In the shop, customers' feet are accurately imaged using 3D scanners to determine the personalised fit of the soles. Wearable sensors are also deployed to image how the customer moves. Combining this scanning and sensor data creates a digital footprint of the customer. - Personalised midsole design
Based on this digital footprint, a personalised midsole is designed fully automatically for the customer. This is possible thanks to a self-learning algorithm-based system developed by ECCO in collaboration with Dassault Systèmes. - Midsole printing
The personalised midsole is then printed on site for the customer at ECCO's shop, after which the soles can be collected a few hours later. During the pilot project in Amsterdam, soles could be printed for two models of shoes: the ECCO Flexture and TLC shoes.
The midsoles are printed in silicone. ECCO research shows that this material offers more viscoelasticity, durability and temperature stability than standard midsoles.
Developing technology
ECCO plans to further develop the technology in the near future based on the data collected during the pilot project. The project participants were selected based on physiological characteristics such as age, gender and shoe size in order to collect varied data.
In the future, ECCO also wants to incorporate performance and health-enhancing properties into its custom-made shoe soles. The company is collaborating with research institutes and medical universities for this purpose. ECCO announces that it will show the developments within the QUANT-U project on a regular basis at the W-21 concept shop in Amsterdam.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: ECCO
Source: Dassault Systèmes (pictured)
