Device and method for footwear customization

A method for producing custom-formed sole portions insertable into footwear comprising:

• capturing a weight-bearing scan of a foot of a wearer while standing upon a first scanning component;
• generating an electronic pressure footprint depicting multiple individual pressure areas of the foot having a differing pressure contact thereof upon the first scanning component;
• determining a required stiffness of sole portion contact areas to support the pressure areas and to determine a required positioning of the contact areas upon the sole portions to support the individual pressure areas using the electronic pressure footprint;
• and
• forming the sole portions, the sole portions comprising a plurality of unit cells forming a matrix having a top surface for positioning the foot thereon with the contact areas supporting the individual pressure areas using a 3D printer, wherein the sole portions are configured to be inserted within a footwear body such that the foot of the wearer wearing the footwear is supported atop the sole portion with the contact areas supporting the pressure areas.

A formed sole portion for positioning with a footwear body, the formed sole portion comprising:

• a sole portion body formed of a 3D printed matrix of engaged unit cells;
• a first geometry of some of the unit cells configured to provide first areas of support on a top surface of the sole portion body;
• and
• a second geometry of some of the unit cells configured to provide second areas of support on a top surface of the sole portion body,
• wherein the top surface of the sole portion at the first areas of support is stiffer than the top surface of the sole portion at the second areas of support, and
• wherein a foot of a wearer wearing the footwear having the sole portion therein is supported atop the sole portion with first contact areas supporting first areas of the foot determined to require stiffer support and second contact areas of support supporting second areas of the foot determined to require softer support than the first areas of the foot.

A method comprising:

• receiving, from a scanning component, an electronic scan of an exterior of a foot positioned on a scanning component;
• generating an electronic topographical footprint of the exterior of the foot based on the electronic scan;
• determining a type of material and a configuration of the material for a custom-formed sole portion based on the electronic topographical footprint;
• and
• generating instructions for forming the custom-formed sole portion based on the determined type of material and the configuration of the material, wherein the custom-formed sole portion comprises a plurality of cells forming a lattice structure having a top surface for positioning the foot thereon, and wherein the custom-formed sole portion is configured to be inserted within a body of footwear such that, when the footwear is worn, the foot is supported by the custom-formed sole portion.