Octo Shoes
We are using biomimicry to make surf shoes that help keep the wearer on the board.
The suckers on an octopus arm.
Precedents
The straps of a sandal and the materials of a wet suit boot.
Initial Sketches
Our form prototype
Our first suction cup prototype
It is made so an artificial vacuum can be made within it instead of traditional suction cups.
Our second suction cup prototype, with multiple linked together.
This has the same principle of using an artificial vacuum, but now multiple are linked.
This is an example where there are suction cups in the shoe.
The extra space would be where the air pump and electronics are stored.
ChatGPT feedback that could be useful.
Feedback continued
More Feedback
Our next iteration
This is how powerful the suction cups were
The mid review had little feedback because the ChatGPT feedback covered it.
We were originally going to use electronics to activate pumps creating the vacuum for the shoes.
After reviewing the idea we pivoted from electronics and decided to make it out of non electric components. The idea we pivoted to is more closely related to how an octopus' suckers work. We would be 3D printing the non electrical components that needed to move out of TPU
-3D printing takes a long time, the entire school day for some prints
-the prints can fail or run out of filament, requiring reprinting
Problems:
ChatGPT feedback for the new design
How the octopus sucker works
How ours works
Downward pressure must be applied to activate, the suction cup acts how a octopus' sucker works, the a vertical force removes the stopper and deactivates the suction cups.
Suction cups
Grippy rubber on bottom(yellow)
Straps to attach to feet
Air pump type
Pump
Air/water flow tube
Suction cups we would have 3d printed
Have holes to connect to the pump
Air pumps are large and clunky.
So make the mechanism the suction cup.
We made the suction cups able to deactivate with a lack of pressure
How the shoe would work
The mechanisms and
Suction cup
Bottom section
Top section
Deactivation trigger
Safey strap
Trigger string