Will 3D printing make a difference at the next Olympics?

French designer Luc Fusaro has developed a new technique for custom-fitted track shoes using 3D printing. His project, called “Designed to Win”, produces the lightest sprint footwear ever made at just 96 grams and is fitted to match the physical properties of the runner’s foot.

3D printing is the only way to create shoes this light and with such a perfect, custom fit.

Fusaro’s approach utilises a similar approach using bespoke manufacturing processes. Following 3D scanning of the athlete’s feet, a “one shot” full sprint shoe is produced, complete with traction elements and shoelace features, and is the very first sprint shoe fully made with additive manufacturing. The SLS (selective laser sintering) process, known for being ideal for a constantly changing design process, is also one of the strongest in the range of additive manufacturing.

Fusaro claims that the shoes can improve running performance up to 3.5%, which should enable top athletes to break world records in track.

The video below shows how the shoes are made and depicts athletes testing the shoes.

Via Luc Fusaro and PSFK.

A team from the Vienna University of Technology set a new world record this week: 3D printed nano objects in just 4 minutes. Their process, called two-photon lithography, uses a focused laser to harden liquid resin.

Applications? Consider how this process could be used to make micro objects for biomedical research and treatment.

Photo above is a human figure smaller than a grain of sand. Photo below is a detailed cathedral about 50 microns in length.

Read more and see additional photos at Reuters’ World in Nano.