In any category of technology you care to mention, chances are there will be at least one good design that grounds itself in the innovations already at work in the natural world.
In the immediate past, we’ve had humpback whale-inspired wind turbines, bullet trains that mimic the shape of kingfisher beaks; and now, On’s ‘Lightspray’ technology — already being touted by the Swiss athletic brand as “the future of performance running”.
Inspired, somewhat amusingly by imagery of spiderwebs and craft table glue guns, Lightspray, at its simplest terms, is a manufacturing innovation that allows On to spray the entirety of a shoe’s upper onto the rest of the product (the midsole and outsole) in three minutes flat.
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With just four other components to worry about, notwithstanding the aforementioned upper, On spokespeople have estimated it takes six minutes to make a complete shoe — in less time than it takes most middling joggers (including yours truly) to crack 1km.
The Lightspray tech now warrants a team of 20 full-time personnel to develop it, and assuming the gamble pays off, that number is all but certain to further swell.
The introduction of a monofilament upper, applied using technique drawn from robotics and 3D printing, mean up to 75% of the waste and emissions associated with traditional sneaker manufacturing can be eliminated.
For conscious consumers, this feel-good tale might be sufficiently persuasive.
But what about the runners? On has billed the shoe being made with these Lightspray uppers — the Cloudboom Strike LS — as its “lightest elite-level” solution yet.
At a weight of 170g per shoe, the brand cites “high energy return” and “impact absorption” as just some of the reasons why these are a certified race-changer.
No word on an Aussie release date for the Cloudboom Strike LS just yet, but we’d wager everyday athletes won’t have to wait more than a few months to step into the running shoes of the future.
