Futuristic Kicks: 3D-Printed Sneakers Are Tailor-Made to Your Feet

Adidas' new running shoe has a 3D printed midsole. Credit: Adidas View full size image

Imagine walking into a store, running on a treadmill for a few minutes and then purchasing a pair of shoes tailored precisely to the contours of your feet. That's the future of sneaker buying, according to Adidas.

The shoe and clothing company recently unveiled its Futurecraft 3D sneaker — a running shoe with a 3D-printed midsole (the part between the inner sole that touches your foot and the outer sole that touches the ground). Adidas said the midsole can be tailored to fit the "cushioning needs" of your feet, whatever those may be.

To get the measurements needed to 3D print a custom shoe part, sneaker lovers will first have to run on a specially equipped treadmill. Embedded with foot-scanning technologies, the treadmill track will relay information to a computer that creates a design for the personalized midsole. The design file can then be sent to a 3D printer and, voilà — you get a custom-made pair of running shoes that matches the "exact contours and pressure points" of your feet, according to Adidas.