Credit: Parametric House

Who knew beautiful art could lead to a non-slip shoe?

Kirigami is the modern Japanese art of paper cutting and folding (not to be confused with origami, which is just folding). By carefully snipping and folding sections of paper, kirigami artists are able to create all manner of fascinating pieces, ranging from simple geometric shapes to full-on 3D sculptures. It’s pretty cool stuff, and for one scientist, it’s so cool that it inspired him to make a shoe. Not sure where that connection came from, but hey, shoes.

Dr Giovanni Traverso of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is currently developing a new kind of shoe sole inspired by kirigami art. Simple shoes like sneakers and flat tops have a decent grip on hard ground, but if you step the wrong way, the grooves won’t catch. That’s not the case with this new shoe. When the sole of the kirigami shoe bends, little polymer spikes pop out, firmly gripping the ground. It’s kind of like a cheetah’s retractable claws or a snake’s scales.

Credit: Diemut Strebe

“What we are trying to do is augment, or add on, to [existing systems like studs or rubber soles] to have a better grip on slippery surfaces, whether it be ice or whether it be oily surfaces in certain occupations,” said Dr. Traverso (a name which I am just realizing sounds an awful lot like a pun in this situation).

Dr. Traverso’s research team tested the soles on all sorts of surfaces, from smooth ice to sheer steel, and found that on all of them, the little spikes kept a much tighter grip than traditional shoes. Don’t worry, though, they don’t root your feet to the ground. The spikes only pop out when you step, then fold back in when you straighten your foot. It’s like invisible soccer cleats!

The researchers are hoping to develop both shoes with the soles built in and separate soles you can attach to a shoe you already have.