Adidas has been pushing innovation over and over with its shoes, 4D lattice technology for the midsole was phenomenal – 3D printing brought mainstream. Now the Adidas Future team has worked on how robotics and athlete data can influence trainers.
They created a software known as STRUNG to create uppers using that data. It selects each individual thread and and data-mapped for a seamless, lightweight fit. This goes away from traditional methods of knitting where threads can typically only be set horizontally or vertically. With this technology the engineers can determine where every thread needs to set in any given direction, creating the lightest and strongest textile design.
The first product using this technology is FUTURECRAFT.STRUNG which combines the upper technology with the 4D lattice midsole to be the industry’s first ever fully athlete data-coded shoe used for runners that run short distances at 5m/s or faster. Every millimetre of the shoe precisely tuned or “coded” to support movement and performance during these fast runs.
This shoe is an example of what Adidas can do with the technology and is still working toward a shoe that can be released to the masses for later in 2021 or early 2022. It will be interesting what other sneaker makers come up with to compete.
SCDW 