$150 shoe smartphone scans your feet for that perfect, individualized fit.
If you loved Crocs but wished for a more science fiction flavored narrative, you’re in luck. An innovative startup, known as Syntilay, is using the power of AI and 3D printing to craft an all-new collection of footwear. The future slide is being sold at $150 each. They certainly aren’t cheap but ‘innovation always has a price’ as the saying goes.
Syntilay uses Machine generated forms followed by a creative human touch to sculpt its footwear much like a deep-sea fish. The initial shoe shape was designed in Midjourney by the designers. Then a human artist took it further from there, sketching out an idea which was turned into a 3D modeled design by Vizcom AI, based on that particular sketch. Finally, AI step in the designing process was to apply various drawn textures and patterns over the shoes to give them a proper look.
Founded by entrepreneur Ben Weiss, with support from Reebok co-founder Joe Foster, the validity of the concept is undeniable. The shoes come in orange, red, beige, black, and blue – five aesthetically vibrant colors in honor of the legendary visual provoker of ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Aliens’, Syd Mead.
Priced at $150, the shoes are 3D printed in Germany and made bespoke to each particular client, usually within three weeks. In order to perfect the fit, a client will scan her or his feet with a mobile phone camera, which of course captures the usually minor distinctions between the right and left feet.
Finally, there is practicality. It would appear easy to scan one’s feet with a phone camera, but not all people will find it very practical to invest in technology just for shoes. What if the shoe doesn’t fit right after scanning and printing it in the first place? All these are challenges for Syntilay as it scales up.
The critical issue here is whether there is a market ready for AI technology-designed shoes. Syntilay’s shoes have to show that they justify the expense and delay in terms of comfort and durability.
Whereas shoes have always been ‘personalized’ since the past season, the novelty of AI and 3D printing may appeal to the trendsetting early adopters.
