These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Shoes are built around a last, a foot-shaped form that hasn’t seen much innovation in a millennium. That’s changed with the Iambic $550 Model T shoe. There are no size options; instead, you submit foot photos and complete a comfort questionnaire. Then AI algorithms, developed using a grant from the National Science Foundation, generate a custom-designed plastic last, the basis for Iambic’s quality, handmade leather sneaker. When it’s time for your next pair, send Iambic pictures of tread wear. “We learn more about you through the photos and assessments you submit,” says Iambic co-founder and CEO Maeve Wang, “so we can get you a shoe that continues to improve.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
