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shameesaden.com
second skin

Designer creates self-healing, 3D-printed running shoes

The running shoes, which could become a reality by 2050, would react to pressure and provide extra cushioning if needed.

A LONDON DESIGNER has created a running shoe concept that can be made from a 3D-printer and can repair itself overnight.

The shoes, created by designer and researcher Shamees Aden, were presented at the Wearable Futures conference in London.

They can be made from synthetic biological material and can react to pressure and movement when running, providing extra cushioning if required.

The unique properties of the shoes allows them to be printed to the exact size of the user’s foot. In an interview with Deezen, Aden said that the shoes would fit like a second skin and can react to different surfaces.

The cells have the capability to inflate and deflate and to respond to pressure… 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.

The runners are the result of Aden’s study of protocells, which are molecules that are not alive, but can be combined to create living organisms. They can be programmed to respond differently to factors like pressure, light, and heat.

After a run, the shoes are placed in a jar filled with protocell liquid, which works as a type of recharger. The liquid can be dyed any colour so the shoes would take on the colour used.

Aden claimed that the concept running shoes could become a reality by 2050.

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