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When adidas first begin to dabble with 3D-printed sneakers in several years ago, the very thought of such an innovation almost seemed unthinkable. Fast forward to years later and the German-based brand is creating the future in modern times, now presenting their Futurecraft model with 4D printing technology.
Working in conjunction with Silicon Valley-based tech company Carbon, adidas creates the first performance footwear fueled by light and oxygen through a remarkable new process called Digital Light Synthesis. Carbon describes the innovative procedure as the use of digital light projection, oxygen-permeable optics, and programmable liquid resins to generate high-performance, durable polymeric products. The Futurecraft 4D is adidas’ initial application with Digital Light Synthesis, and a massive step in the direction athlete data-driven design and manufacturing.
Adidas will initially release 300 pairs of the Futurecraft 4D for friends and family only. They’ll follow that up with approximately 5,000 pairs during fall/winter 2017 season. Ultimately, with the scale and speed of Digital Light Synthesis, adidas plans to have more than 100,000 pairs in circulation by the end 2018.
