taylor tabb’s sneakers with built-in inkjet cartridges allow you to print while on the go

footprints: the shoe that prints on any surface

Part shoe, part printer, Taylor Tabb’s Footprints presents a curiously unexpected concept that intertwines fashion and technology. Whimsical yet practical, the creation reimagines the possibilities of wearable tech. At first glance, Footprints bear the classic silhouette of a Converse Mid-Top, though fitted with genuine HP ink cartridge and some inkjet hardware. The built-in printer concealed under the shoe’s sole offers a humorous solution to the perennial challenge of choosing between carrying a printer and sporting stylish footwear.

taylor tabb intertwines fashion and technology

Drawing on the technology of handheld inset printers, Taylor Tabb’s Footprints draws components from the realm of printing technology and melds them with the timeless appeal of Converse sneakers. The modified product that culminates is consequently 100% shoe and 100% printer that can work on any surface. ‘This project is the product of pure joy and curiously — what would happen if two very different objects were one? If two very different brands collaborated?’ questions the designer.

This fictional brand collaboration between Converse and HP is Tabb’s newest creation continuing his exploration of computing and expression through fabrication. From an edible robot built inside the shell of a watermelon, to a wearable chemical energy storage system, the designer has long examined how the toolkit of engineering can be applied in novel and unexpected ways in the realm of design.

project info:

name: Footprints
designer: Taylor Tabb

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.