Design from Nature – 2
- POSTED ON: 14 Apr, 2017
- TOTAL VIEWS: 1505 Views
- POSTED BY: Chari Vijayaraghavan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 100 Points
Let’s continue to our second inspiration – from Waffles to Shoe Soles. To view the image, move the slider from the right hand side towards the left on the image.
Did you know that the idea for the rubber shoe sole comes from the waffle iron/toaster? The mould and design is so similar that you probably would have guessed it.
It was the year 1971 and shoe soles were heavy. Bill Bowerman was a former track and field coach, and now made running shoes. He was looking for an idea to make a lighter, flexible sole. One day he was having breakfast with his wife and saw her pouring dough onto the waffle iron. He wondered what would happen if you poured rubber onto the iron. He thought that the grooves on the waffle iron would make a wonderful mould for running shoes! Thus, the idea for the light and flexible soles of the sports shoe was born. Bill Bowerman was also the co-founder of Nike!
[Images: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons]