Defining the direction, tension and composition of each fiber, STRUNG, adidas' revolutionary textile manufacturing method, allows translation of athlete data into a dynamic material tuned for performance. Brought to life by the curiosity of the adidas Innovation team, early hand wound object studies evolved into stunning performance equipment showcased at the highest levels of sport. This evolution relied on iterations of creation tools beginning with a Bic pen stylus and wooden frames.  A collaborative robot was then introduced to improve consistency and speed, requiring programming and machine design. Finally, production models of the the STRUNG machines were created in collaboration with machine suppliers and installed in textile factories across the world.

Beyond creation of the textile, significant effort has gone into a fundamental characterization of the material mechanics. Utilizing composite design theory and extensive material testing, a model was created to predict material properties based on the "recipe" created in the custom STRUNG design software. This analysis tool significantly reduces the number of physical samples required and allows designers to explore new expressions of the technology and design for the performance requirements of new sports.  

 

Role: Co-Inventor, prototyping, machine development, material testing, test development, continued IP creation.