Nike Used 3D Printing to Create the Ultra-Fast Football Cleats at Insane Speeds [VIDEO]
2014.01.14
When it comes to shoe tech, non are as ahead as Nike. They just unveiled the Vapor Carbon Elite Cleat, a brand new shoe with 3D printed parts designed to make athletes run faster. The 3D printed shoe will make its debut in time for Super Bow XLVIII.
The video released by Nike shows the journey towards the Vapor Carbon Cleat beginning back in 1996 when they collaborated with Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson.
"You would think that we would know all there is to know about athleticism, but we still don’t. We’re still learning how to optimize athleticism," Johnson said to Wired. "For so long as a society, we just figured that good athletes are just good athletes. It’s easy to say, 'Oh well, he’s fast, that’s great.' But the real question is, can he be faster?"
Nike focused on what they called the zero step - the stance runners take before they start sprinting. They developed a "V Plate" nylon base to reduce slipping during zero step.
This is not the first time Nike's done something so cutting edge.
Last year, the company released the Vapor Laser Talon, the first 3D printed cleat worn by football players. It was one of the fastest cleats ever designed.
The new Vapor Carbon Elite is an update on that cleat, adding the ability to make more precise movements. It has four tri-star studs at the front of the shoe to improve linear propulsion and studs on the sides and in the back for side to side and backwards movement.
Designing the shoe at this speed would be possible without 3D printing. Prototyping was in a manner of hours.
Does this shoe give athletes an unfair advantage in games?
Check out the video below.
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