The long awaited debut of 3D printing has finally been made at the Rio Olympics 2016. Virtual reality and 3D printing are dominating ever aspect of these Games. Here take a look:
Apparel
As 3D printing’s fame continues to grows, apparel companies are cashing on the opportunity.
- Nike has designed 3D printed silicone protrusions.
- Adidas’ swimwear using 3D scanners help swimmers maintain form.
- Brooks’ 3D creation of their shoes
- New Balance’s 3D printed prototype Vazee Sigma track shoes
Shoes
Nike and Adidas, both, are in the run to amalgamate 3D technology in their shoes. Nike has come up with a new variant of spikes for the track shoes. Nike drifted away from the traditional sprinter spike design of screw-in spikes and went with a fixed pin design on the bottom of the plate. This design puts a runners foot closer to the track, which in theory, translates to faster speed.
“For us right now, 3D printing is all about accelerating the project, the innovation process,” said Kohatsu. “The 3D printing industry isn’t at a place where it can replace mass production techniques. We use it for what it’s best at doing, which is accelerating prototyping.”
Michael Phelps has been given a 3D printed shoe for the games. His child’s foot printed has been 3D printed on his shoes to make him feel closer to the child.
Tracking the swimmers
BMW is using 3D print assisted, LED driven motion sensors to keep a track of swimmers in the pool. The LED trackers will be attached to a swimmer through a 3D printed mounting system. The stroke and kick motion which will be received by the coaching staff will be an incredibly valuable performance tool as the data will aid in breaking down specific limb and joint angles to optimize performance.
As the Olympics begin, keep your eyes peeled for 3D printed apparel and technology. The future of design could be in the hands of 3D printing and the future is as bright as the burning flames of the Olympic torch.