MIT lends prowess for Puma’s cushioning
XETIC takes its name from “auxetic materials”, which behave in a certain way when they are subjected to mechanical stresses such as compression.
PUMA and MIT Design Lab worked with runners to analyse individual running specifics and developed a structure that allows for “progressive cushioning”, they said. The result was a structure shaped like a horizontal number eight.
Romain Girard, senior head of innovation at Puma, said: “Puma’s innovation department teamed up with MIT Design Lab because we needed their expert engineering capabilities.
“MIT has computer simulation possibilities, which enabled us to see the behaviour of the material and quickly find the optimal structure for calculated cushioning.”
XETIC will be introduced in a trainer called Calibrate Runner.
