Solemates
Physical product design
Project type
Fall 2023
date
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
location
Initial Scenario/Context
SoleMates' initial proposal came from a previous project on swappable shoe treads and the ongoing needs of the athletes in the group. The group split into 3 subgroups, one for each part of the shoe: the outsole, the insole, and the connecting piece. The outsole group, my group, made 3 different outsole treads:​​ hiking (for rougher, slippery terrain), everyday (for everyday use), and sneaker (for running on a flat surface).​​​
initial problems + solutions
Runners' shoes wear out quickly and cannot easily gauge shoe sole wear extent​
Color strips that when worn down change color to see depth of wear​
Buying new shoes can be out of one's budget
​Removable + swappable outer treads to not need to buy a whole new shoe
Low dexterity affecting ability to tie shoelaces​
A dial that tightens or loosens laces
​Weather changes requiring different treads
Swappable tread types for changing weather
​Biodegradability
Cork insoles and canvas cover
Sneaker tread prototype with color strips
Everyday tread prototype with connecting piece
lessons learned
research and teamwork​
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Working in a subteam and reconveining for weekly updates
​
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How to conduct field research on treads without publicly avalible articles or academic articles
​
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The importance of tread types, tread wear, and knowing one's pronation​
cad/3d printing
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How to 3D print the hiking tread with TPU on a PRUSA 3D printer
​
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Transferring files from NX parasolids into .obj for OnShape
Materials​
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How different materials affect flexibility (PLA vs. TPU) and biodegradability (cork vs. mycelium vs. rubber vs. TPU)