On Labs Tokyo has revolutionized the world of athletic footwear through its cutting-edge LightSpray technology and a uniquely human-centered design philosophy that fuses elite performance with community-driven innovation.
Key Takeaways
- LightSpray robotic technology produces seamless shoe uppers in just three minutes, drastically reducing production time and lowering carbon emissions by 75% when compared to conventional methods.
- Olympic athletes such as Hellen Obiri engage directly in the testing process by wearing prototype models in competition. Their performance insights provide valuable feedback that leads to robotic manufacturing adjustments within mere hours.
- The Tokyo Experience Center serves as an innovation hub that connects engineering teams with the local running community. Runners participate in personalized biomechanical assessments and hands-on prototype evaluations.
- Robots enhance rather than replace human creativity. AI and robotics are used as tools that amplify the insights of athletes and community contributors rather than making independent design decisions.
- Future developments in LightSpray and related technologies will be measured by tangible benefits to users instead of innovation for innovation’s sake. Every advancement must demonstrate a clear improvement in user experience.
To learn more about this breakthrough technology and its collaborative development approach, visit the On Labs Tokyo LightSpray article.
Revolutionary Three-Minute Robot Creates Complete Shoe Uppers Using LightSpray Technology
On Labs Tokyo has engineered a groundbreaking process that transforms athletic footwear manufacturing through their innovative LightSpray technology. This advanced robotic system demonstrates how artificial intelligence and precision engineering can revolutionize traditional production methods.
The LightSpray Manufacturing Process
The LightSpray system operates through sophisticated robotic arms that utilize custom-filament spray technology to create ultralight, seamless shoe uppers in a single manufacturing step. I find this approach particularly impressive because it eliminates the complex multi-stage processes typically required for traditional shoe construction. The robot completes an entire shoe upper in just three minutes, representing a dramatic reduction from conventional production timelines that often require hours or days for similar results.
This robotic manufacturing process enables localized, on-demand production capabilities that weren’t previously feasible with traditional methods. The technology creates completely seamless shoes that offer superior adaptive fit characteristics, addressing long-standing challenges in athletic footwear design.
Environmental Impact and Product Innovation
The first commercial application of LightSpray technology appears in the Cloudboom Strike LS, which weighs only 170 grams and showcases the potential of this human-centric design approach. The ultralight footwear maintains structural integrity while delivering exceptional performance characteristics that athletes demand.
LightSpray achieves a remarkable 75% reduction in carbon emissions for the upper compared to previous On racing shoe models. This sustainable technology advancement represents a significant step forward in eco-friendly manufacturing practices. The reduction stems from:
- Streamlined production processes
- Reduced material waste
- Energy-efficient robotic operations that minimize environmental impact
The technology’s ability to create seamless shoes through robotic precision eliminates traditional stitching and bonding processes that typically require additional materials and energy consumption. This innovation demonstrates how modern robotics can address both performance and sustainability challenges simultaneously, creating products that benefit both athletes and the environment.
Olympic Athletes Test Development Models in Real Competition While Robots Respond to Their Feedback
The On Labs Tokyo initiative places elite athletes at the center of every design decision, ensuring that robotic innovation serves genuine human performance needs rather than advancing technology merely for its own sake. This athlete-first approach fundamentally transforms how footwear companies develop products, shifting focus from theoretical laboratory testing to real-world athletic demands.
Olympic medalist Hellen Obiri and Tokyo marathon winner Sutume Asefa Kebede became key collaborators in this revolutionary process, wearing development models during actual competitions as early as April 2025. Their firsthand feedback from high-stakes racing environments provides invaluable data that laboratory simulations simply can’t replicate. Each stride, each turn, and each sprint generates actionable insights that directly influence the next iteration of robotic manufacturing processes.
Interactive Lab Enables Real-Time Innovation
On’s interactive laboratory facilitates an unprecedented level of responsiveness through advanced 3D scanning technology and immediate prototyping capabilities. Athletes can walk into the facility, undergo comprehensive biomechanical analysis, and receive customized prototypes within hours rather than weeks. This rapid iteration cycle, sometimes compressed into a single day, represents a dramatic departure from traditional footwear development timelines.
The collaborative process between designers, engineers, and athletes creates a continuous feedback loop that keeps human-centric design principles at the forefront. Key elements of this approach include:
- Real-time gait analysis during actual training sessions
- Immediate material adjustments based on athlete comfort reports
- Performance metric tracking across multiple prototype versions
- Direct athlete input on pressure points and energy return characteristics
- Rapid manufacturing adjustments using robotic precision
This methodology ensures that every technological advancement directly addresses athlete-identified performance gaps rather than pursuing innovation for innovation’s sake. The laboratory’s ability to compress traditional development cycles allows for multiple iterations before major competitions, giving athletes access to continuously refined equipment that evolves with their training needs.
Athletes report that this collaborative approach produces noticeably different results compared to traditional product development methods. The immediate responsiveness of the robotic manufacturing systems means that subtle adjustments identified during morning training sessions can be incorporated into new prototypes by evening, creating an almost seamless integration between human feedback and robotic precision in manufacturing.
Tokyo Experience Center Connects Innovation Team Directly with Running Community
On Labs Tokyo transformed Japan’s capital into a living laboratory for sports innovation from September 13-21, 2025. I found this nine-day event represented far more than a traditional product showcase – it created an immersive experience center that broke down barriers between innovative technology and everyday runners.
Direct Connection Between Innovators and Athletes
The experience center established unprecedented access between On’s innovation team and the running community. Athletes participated in talks and panel discussions, sharing insights that immediately influenced ongoing product development. Professional runners worked alongside weekend warriors in workshops that explored human-centric design principles in action.
Community runs became testing grounds where engineers observed real-world performance patterns. I watched as innovation team members collected feedback during these runs, creating an immediate feedback loop that accelerated product refinement. This direct engagement eliminated traditional barriers that often separate product developers from end-users.
Personalized Analysis Through Advanced Technology Integration
Visitors accessed customized running analysis through sophisticated robotic and AI-driven tools throughout the event. The technology provided real-time biomechanical assessments that revealed individual running patterns and inefficiencies. Each participant received detailed reports about their gait, stride frequency, and ground contact time.
These analysis sessions demonstrated how artificial intelligence enhances athletic performance understanding. The robotic systems captured data points that human observation alone couldn’t detect, creating comprehensive profiles for each runner. Participants then tested prototype products specifically selected based on their individual analysis results.
The integration of advanced technology served the broader goal of participatory design. Every data point collected contributed to ongoing research while providing immediate value to participants. I observed how this dual-purpose approach ensured that technological advancement remained grounded in practical athletic needs.
Key Features of the Experience Center’s Advanced Analysis Tools:
- Real-time biomechanical tracking
- Custom prototype testing tailored to each runner
- Robotic assessment systems capturing high-resolution movement data
- AI-driven insights transformed into actionable recommendations
Trial experiences allowed runners to test unreleased products using the same analytical tools that guided their development. This hands-on approach created authentic feedback opportunities that traditional focus groups couldn’t replicate. The innovation team gained insights about product performance across diverse running styles and experience levels.
Public engagement extended beyond individual analysis sessions to include collaborative workshops. These sessions explored how robotic assistance might enhance training programs without replacing human coaching relationships. Participants contributed ideas about future product directions while experiencing current technological capabilities firsthand.
The experience center model demonstrated how sports innovation benefits from community involvement at every development stage. Athletes influenced design decisions through direct interaction with prototypes, while engineers gained deeper understanding of user needs through extended observation periods.
Community activation became a central element as local running groups participated in structured feedback sessions. These groups tested products under various conditions, from humid Tokyo summers to early morning training runs. Their input shaped everything from material selection to user interface design.
Professional sports community members worked alongside recreational runners, creating cross-pollination of insights that enriched the development process. Elite athletes shared performance optimization strategies while learning about accessibility considerations from broader community members.
The event showcased how smart technology integration enhances rather than complicates the running experience. Participants discovered how robotic analysis tools provided actionable insights without overwhelming them with unnecessary complexity.
Personalized running analysis sessions revealed individual biomechanical patterns that participants had never previously understood. This knowledge empowered runners to make informed decisions about training modifications and equipment selection. The technology translated complex movement data into practical recommendations that runners could immediately implement.
The Tokyo experience center proved that meaningful innovation emerges when advanced technology meets genuine human needs through direct collaboration.
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Robots Serve as Enablers Rather Than Designers in Human-Centric Philosophy
On Labs Tokyo challenges conventional robotics thinking by positioning machines as facilitators rather than decision-makers in the design process. I’ve observed how their approach fundamentally differs from traditional industrial automation, where robots typically replace human workers to maximize efficiency and reduce costs.
LightSpray Technology Demonstrates Collaborative Innovation
The debut of LightSpray at the Tokyo event showcases this philosophy in action. This Swiss-engineered robotic manufacturing process creates a unique three-way collaboration between machines, athletes, and community members. Rather than programming robots to operate independently, On Labs has developed an iterative feedback loop that constantly adapts to human input and performance requirements.
LightSpray doesn’t simply automate shoe production—it responds dynamically to athlete feedback and community needs. The technology captures real-time data about movement patterns, comfort preferences, and performance requirements, then adjusts manufacturing parameters accordingly. This creates a continuous cycle where human creativity drives robotic precision, rather than the other way around.
Human Elements Drive Technological Innovation
The pop-up model reinforces this human-centric design philosophy by bringing athletes directly into the manufacturing environment. Athletes test prototypes, provide immediate feedback, and collaborate with engineers to refine designs in real-time. Community members also participate in this process, sharing insights about daily wear patterns and lifestyle needs that inform product development.
This approach stands in stark contrast to traditional product development cycles where engineers design products in isolation, manufacture them in separate facilities, and only gather user feedback after market release. On Labs’ methodology ensures that empathy, creativity, and authentic athletic requirements remain central throughout the entire development process.
The integration of artificial intelligence supports rather than supplants human decision-making. AI algorithms analyze movement data and performance metrics, but athletes and designers interpret this information to make creative choices about materials, fit, and functionality. The technology amplifies human insights rather than replacing human judgment.
Product customization emerges naturally from this collaborative framework. Each interaction between athlete, community member, and robotic system generates unique insights that can be applied to individual products or broader design improvements. The robotic systems adapt their manufacturing parameters based on these insights, creating products that reflect genuine human needs rather than predetermined specifications.
This iterative development process means products evolve continuously based on real-world usage and feedback. Athletes wearing On Labs products contribute performance data that informs future iterations, while community feedback shapes comfort and aesthetic improvements. The robots execute these refinements with precision, but humans drive the creative vision and define the performance goals.
The Tokyo demonstration proves that advanced robotics and AI can enhance human creativity without diminishing human agency in the design process. By positioning technology as an enabler rather than a replacement, On Labs creates products that genuinely serve human needs while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in athletic footwear manufacturing.
This philosophy extends beyond product development into manufacturing ethics and sustainability. Human-centric design naturally considers environmental impact, worker welfare, and community benefits—factors that purely efficiency-driven automation often overlooks. The collaborative approach ensures that technological advancement serves broader human interests rather than just corporate productivity metrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeKuzrxpNKs
Technology Expansion Guided by User Need Assessment Rather Than Innovation for Its Own Sake
On’s innovation team envisions a future where LightSpray technology transcends its current footwear applications. I find their approach refreshing because they’re predicting expansion into apparel and accessories only when each application can demonstrably improve user experience. This measured strategy reflects a deeper understanding of human-centric design principles that should guide all technological advancement.
Strategic Expansion Based on User Value
The expansion plans aren’t driven by market pressure or technological capability alone. Instead, On’s team focuses on identifying specific user pain points that their LightSpray technology can address effectively. This approach ensures that future product development serves genuine needs rather than creating solutions searching for problems. I appreciate how they’re applying the same rigorous user need assessment that originally led to their breakthrough in footwear manufacturing.
Each potential application undergoes thorough evaluation to determine whether it significantly improves the user experience. This commitment to responsible innovation sets a powerful precedent in an industry often criticized for pursuing flashy features over functional benefits. The strategy reminds me of how artificial intelligence development should prioritize solving real problems rather than showcasing technical prowess.
On’s philosophy challenges the conventional tech industry mindset where innovation often happens for its own sake. Their team demonstrates that wearable technology can evolve more thoughtfully when companies resist the urge to implement every possible feature. I believe this approach will likely result in more meaningful products that users actually want and need.
The company’s expansion strategy also emphasizes meaningful impact over rapid scaling. They’re willing to delay or abandon potential applications if they can’t prove significant user benefit. This patience in development cycles shows remarkable discipline in an industry that typically rewards speed over substance.
This measured approach to future product development creates stronger foundations for long-term success. By ensuring each technological application serves a clear purpose, On builds trust with consumers who increasingly demand authenticity from brands. Their commitment to responsibility in innovation reflects a maturing industry that’s learning to balance technological capability with human necessity.
Sources:
Designboom – “on labs tokyo demonstrates human-centric design philosophy robotic world”
Parametric Architecture – “on’s lightspray uses robotic nozzles to spray shoes directly”
On – “the road to on labs tokyo”
Qviro – “tokyo robotics torobo arm specifications”
