Sneakers built in 6 minutes? Robots make history at Olympics
What's the story
Hellen Obiri, a Kenyan distance runner and two-time Olympic silver medalist, is set to put on avant-garde shoes at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She will be sporting a groundbreaking spray-on sneaker known as the Cloudboom Strike LS.
This innovative footwear is a product of Swiss sportswear company On, utilizing their trademarked LightSpray technology.
The "LS" in the shoe's name stands for LightSpray, representing this unique manufacturing process.
Innovative process
LightSpray technology revolutionizes sneaker production
The LightSpray technology, a key feature of the Cloudboom Strike LS, works by utilizing a robot arm to spray the shoe's upper part from a single continuous filament. This process takes just three minutes.
The robot arm holds the outsole up to a sprayer while it rotates and releases thermoplastic polyurethane, a material with properties of both plastic and rubber.
This material spirals out as a helix, landing as one continuous string that bonds to the outsole without any glue.
Finishing touches
Finalizing the footwear: Color and cure
Following the initial process, another robot sprays color onto the shoe. This color cures in just three minutes, making the shoes ready for wearing.
According to Ilmarin Heitz, senior director of footwear at On, this technology simplifies production of the shoe's upper part, traditionally the most difficult part to produce.
Heitz explained that modern shoemaking involves using "2D patterns and trying to wrap them around a complex 3D shape."
However, LightSpray technology eliminates this challenge.
Athlete's perspective
Obiri's initial hesitation and subsequent approval
Initially, Obiri expressed doubts about the spray-on shoes.
She told The New York Times that she thought she couldn't run with these shoes, and her colleagues even joked about them being unfit for marathons.
However, after testing them in practice and winning the Boston Marathon in April while wearing them, Obiri changed her mind about the revolutionary footwear.
Eco-Friendly innovation
LightSpray Technology: A step toward sustainable footwear
Sportswear company On, which is backed by Roger Federer, claims that its LightSpray technology not only decreases production time but also reduces the carbon footprint of the upper production by 75%.
Heitz envisions a future where athletes could have a robot spray them a perfect shoe for the moment on race day, which could then be recycled after the race.
The idea for this novel shoe originated four years ago from Johannes Voelchert, a senior member of On's innovation team.
Market release
Cloudboom Strike LS: Availability and pricing
The Cloudboom Strike LS, the first product to feature LightSpray technology, was initially offered for a limited time in April.
The revolutionary footwear will be available again this fall for $330.
This release is timed perfectly for the New York City Marathon scheduled on November 3, providing athletes an opportunity to experience this innovative technology firsthand.