The footwear development process hasn’t changed much over the past few decades. Shoemakers have been designing and fitting footwear with many of the same traditional measurement tools such as lasts, tape measures and the human eye in an effort to get the right fit.
However, Aetrex, a leader in the 3D foot scanning technology space, set out to innovate and disrupt the footwear development process by taking the data from their millions of global 3D foot scans and making it accessible on a platform called Foot.com. The objective of the portal is to help footwear designers and developers around the world create better-fitting and functioning footwear in an “easy-to-use” format.
Initially launched last September, Foot.com, which is available on a subscription basis, gives users the ability to view, filter and extract global 3D foot data by gender, foot size, country and more.
“The platform is all made possible by the complete, accurate data collected from Aetrex’s Albert 2Pro and Albert 3DFit foot scanners,” said Larry Schwartz, Aetrex’s CEO. “Albert foot scanners are vital to the data collection process because they use a pure computer vision model to create the most accurate 3D reconstruction of the foot available on the market.”
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New features for ‘infinite’ measuring
The new, enhanced mechanisms on Foot.com offer users innovative, complete measurement tools, giving designers “endless opportunities” to analyze comprehensive 3D foot data, allowing for even more detail and accuracy.
The first update to the platform is the Development Lab “Lasso” tool. Like a true lasso, the tool virtually wraps around the 3D foot and can be moved on an axis at any angle to measure and analyze a cross-section of any aspect of a 3D foot scan. Users can also identify two spots within a cross section to measure and get even more specific data.
“Footwear developers are really excited about this new ‘Lasso’ feature. Being able to pull the average women’s size 7 in 3D, for example, and then measure any aspect they want helps them create more anatomically correct footwear,” said Schwartz. “All the measurements they need are right at their fingertips. They don’t have to guess.”
The second update allows users to 3D print data-driven foot models for fit trials. This allows shoe designers and developers to optimally check fit throughout the footwear development cycle. This necessary feature opens the door for a technology-led process that is more accurate than traditional fit methods which typically involve human feet that can vary a lot even within the same shoe size.
“For example, rather than using a fit model and hoping she is a perfect size 7, shoe developers can use a 3D-printed data-driven foot model for a size 7 foot based on accurate 3D data to properly fit test any shoe,” said Schwartz.
The third update involves the inclusion of anatomical reference points. The platform now allows users to measure various aspects of a 3D foot scan based on 16 standard landmarks of the foot, determined by Aetrex in partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Schwartz explains these geographic landmarks are useful for footwear designers to integrate into their design process to create lasts with better accuracy.
Designing for different geographic markets
Aetrex’s 3D foot scan data shows feet vary per region, and Foot.com can help designers create footwear for any specific market.
“One of the things that we’ve learned is that feet have very different 3-dimensional characteristics in different areas throughout the world. For example, Asian feet, on average, are wider with lower insteps than feet in the U.S.,” said Schwartz. “With Foot.com, developers now have the detailed measurement tools to create proper fitting footwear for different geographic markets.”
In addition, Aetrex bundles all the unprecedented tools and measurements in a new “easy-to-use” dashboard located on the main page of the platform, streamlining the navigation between the different filters and pages.
Solving fit with technology
Aetrex utilizes the “latest” technologies available today to enhance their FitTech solutions, such as computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D depth model cameras, many of which allow for the comprehensive, accurate data collection available on Foot.com, according to Schwartz. As new technologies become accessible, the company plans to continue to evolve and enhance their programs.
“The launch of the Development Lab along with the ability to 3D print data-driven foot models for better fit trials paves the way for the future of footwear development,” said Schwartz. “Our goal is to utilize the latest technologies available and constantly innovate to help move our industry forward in designing shoes that truly fit and function better than ever.”
To learn more about Aetrex and its FitTech solutions, click here.