Towards Customized Footwear with Improved Comfort

Area of Science:

• Biomechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Foot comfort is crucial for overall well-being and mobility.
• Conventional footwear often fails to meet individual comfort needs, particularly in pressure distribution.
• 3D printing offers potential for creating customized footwear components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and assess a methodology for customizing shoes using 3D printed graded density inserts for improved comfort.
• To develop a semi-automated routine for designing these 3D inserts.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties and user-perceived comfort of prototype slippers with these inserts.

Main Methods:

• A semi-automated design routine involving mesh density definition, 2D component generation, and 3D component creation was developed.
• 3D printed graded density inserts were fabricated and integrated into the heel region of conventional insoles.
• Compression tests were conducted on uniform mesh density samples to assess insert adequacy.
• Mechanical characterization and qualitative user comfort assessments were performed on prototype slippers.

Main Results:

• Compression tests validated the mesh densities used in the 3D printed inserts.
• Prototype slippers with custom inserts were mechanically characterized.
• A panel of users qualitatively assessed the comfort of the prototype slippers.
• All users found certain prototype slippers more comfortable than the original ones, though preferences were not unanimous.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology is useful for achieving shoe customization for comfort improvement.
• Individual comfort preferences highlight the need for personalized footwear solutions.
• 3D printed graded density inserts represent a viable approach to enhancing shoe comfort.