Dr. Maeng-Sub Cho, who retired from ETRI, has developed new technology
to manufacture customized shoes by using 3D scanners and 3D printing technology.
He plans to start a business with this state-of-the-art technology to design and make shoes.
There are two core technology; one is to make shoe trees
with polyethylene(PE) by using a 3D printer, after scanning feet with a portable 3D scanner.
The other technology is to analyze electronic basting which will help shoemakers
utilize pressure sensors and computer systems, and then determine shoe fitting based on objective figures and pictures.

With this technology, shoemakers scan customer’s feet with a portable 3D scanner with the customer wearing
a virtual heel of desirable height, and then convert the image into a shoe tree shape to create a plastic model with a 3D printer.
Dr. Cho explains that, since the bones and muscle structures of the scanned feet are directly reflected into the shoe tree,
it makes it possible to make perfectly fitting and comfortable shoes customized for each person feel like a pair of socks.
Currently, shoemakers carve a plastic lump to make shoe trees,
and it takes almost one month even for the most skilled technicians.
This new technology can reduce the time to just one day without the help of elderly shoe-tree makers.

This technology was selected as the best idea by Creative Economy Town, a platform for creative ideas in Korea.
Dr. Cho is planning to establish a customized shoes company named ‘K-Shuz’,
through mentoring support provided by ETRI Creative Labs for Start-up.
Dr. Cho said "This technology is necessary for the process of making customized shoes
and I hope it will also help customers who choose custom fit shoes."