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
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time