Leading podiatry expert Professor Nachiappan Chockalingam, Professor of Clinical Biomechanics at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Staffordshire University, has been working with a Cheshire company who today launched a crowdfunding campaign to help them roll out their pioneering 3D printed pressure-reducing insoles.
Chester headquartered Cadscan is raising £50,000 to make its personalised insoles available to the mass market.
Cadscan has developed a factory of specialist 3D printing machines which can create bespoke, breathable and lightweight insoles with optimised cushioning.
Unlike foam insoles, the company’s custom-made and more supportive insoles do not compress or harden over time, providing effective pressure reduction for longer.
Each pair of their Imprints insoles, which take two hours to print, are made of a lattice of different densities matched to the patient’s foot shape, loading profile and peak pressure zones.
They are printed in a rubber material, come in a variety of colours, and are designed to fit into conventional footwear. Slim and lightweight, they can also be personalised.
At £40 a pair, the Imprints insoles are expected to be the best value on the market.
Cadscan, whose sister products are already used extensively across the NHS, launched its campaign today on Indiegogo, a launchpad for entrepreneurial ideas. Everyone who pledges £40 will receive a bespoke pair of insoles.
Dr Alastair Buchanan, Managing Director of Cadscan, said:
“Crowdfunding is a great way to build awareness of products with consumers and we’re really excited about this launch. “3D printing is creating a new generation of insoles and, using our advanced software and patent pending algorithms, we have the technology to map the nuances of a person’s foot and translate that into the perfect insoles for them.
“All customers have to do is complete a simple foot test at home which identifies the load zones on their feet as well as giving information about their foot shape. They then take a couple of photographs of their feet and then upload this information using our smartphone app.
“We use a computer model that identifies the properties of that individual’s sole and insole and produce a precise 3D printable design which we then ship direct to the customer.
“We then create a pair of bespoke Imprints insoles to their exact specification and which will help to both reduce the pressure on their feet and redistribute the load. It will be the first time that customers can buy such a professional insole for such great value.”
Cadscan has been working with leading podiatry expert Professor Nachiappan Chockalingam, Professor of Clinical Biomechanics at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Staffordshire University on the 3D technology.
He and his team are at the forefront of pioneering work to develop the orthotics of the future.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/imprints-personalised-3d-printed-insoles#/
Feet facts
24% of people over the age of 45 suffer from foot pain. Nearly a quarter of all the bones in our body are in our feet and 8,000 nerves. The bones in our feet don’t finish hardening until the age of 21. The average person walks 110,000 miles during their lifetime and 4,000 to 6,000 steps per day. Common foot ailments include plantar fasciitis and pain in the balls or heels of the feet. As we age, the tissue in our feet loses elasticity which is why those aged between 40-60 years old are most at risk from conditions such as plantar fasciitis. Heels that are 2.5 inches high can increase the load on the feet by 75%. Feet are at their largest by the end of the day. One in five people have high arches and one in four people have flat feet. 90% of women wear shoes that are too small for their feet. About Cadscan
Imprints Insoles has been developed by Chester based company Cadscan, which has been creating new 3D scanning, printing and visualisation technologies for the last eight years.
Its main focus has been the healthcare sector, with a focus on orthoses, medical imaging for wound management and several VR/AR applications. They have a 12-strong team which includes software developers, product designers and manufacturing. They also work closely with a number of academic institutions, in particular the biomechanics team at Staffordshire University, to provide specific expertise.