Shoe maker Syntilay has unveiled its new PulsePodz shoes, which it claims couldn’t have been made without 3D printing and AI.
These recovery slides feature nine individual pods on the base, designed with a lattice structure and different densities that create a cushion to target support where the foot needs it most.
Syntilay says this structure produces a pulsing sensation to reduce pressure in the highest-stress parts of the foot.
We spoke to the brand, which recently appeared on our Trending Forward podcast) about these new shoes at CES, and got to try them out ourselves.
Ben Weiss, the co-founder of Syntilay, told me that the design goal was to make something that offered differing levels of pressure throughout the shoe, so when the user walks that pressure is dissipated.
I got to try the slides briefly, and while I couldn’t get the full effect (they weren’t my size due to my comically small feet for my height) it was definitely a different sensation on the sole of the foot, with the pressure being tangible in different parts of the shoe.
Weiss said the goal was to offer something that’s not readily available on the market:
“So this is a new technology that’s only possible with [3D] printing. [The airflow in the PulsePodz] is omni directional – the most airflow possible because it’s more hollow, and a lighter experience.
“These structures can’t really be made with traditional production, so it’s taking advantage of printing [using] a new technology, which we haven’t seen a mass market commercial product take advantage of.”
They certainly look different – as someone who has spent more money than they’d ever want to mention on running shoes, I’m used to seeing all kinds of weird sections, pods and designs on the soles of my sneakers to better support my feet.
It’s when you look at the PulsePodz close up that you realize the difference – there are just loads of small structures inside the pods, and it’s easy to believe that the complexity wouldn’t have been possible without a 3D printer.
AI was also used in the process, assisting with simulation to ensure the airflow was optimized through the shoe, which is a key part given Syntilay is positioning these as part of the same pantheon of footwear as the Nike Air Max from the ’80s, with its visible air-bubble cushioning, and the CloudTec ‘Swiss cheese’-style sole from OnRunning. It’s calling it “the first major advancement in air-based cushioning footwear systems in more than 15 years”, a bold statement given 3D-printed footwear is in its infancy, but designed to highlight the new opportunities offered by alternative production methods.
The PulsePodz technology is currently limited to use in the recovery slides, but the brand plans to extend the structure to sneakers and ‘performance-oriented silhouettes’ for the future, as it looks to encourage more people to try 3D printed shoes.
One possible barrier for some will be the perception of a shoe being made all in one piece – how does Syntilay plan to educate people that might have reservations?
Weiss points out that their key goal is to get people to feel the PulsePodz in real life, so they can ‘see the flex’.
“People look at [3D printed shoes] and they think they’re hard. That’s why we want to have lots of visuals around the flexibility as well,” he told us.
When we spoke to Weiss for our podcast earlier in 2025, he was enthusiastic about the possibility of printing shoes not just because of the new designs that can be made, but also the fact that they could be so easily crammed with tech.
He highlighted the options again for adding technology embedded into 3D-printed shoes – potentially things like temperature sensors inside to warm or cool the shoes, the dynamic ability to alter the shoe’s structure depending on the motion of the foot, or even having things like screens on the side of the footwear – presumably for added customization.
So are we seeing an early player in what will become the new way we buy shoes? If there was a brand that could make me a running shoe that was tailored exactly to the support I need and the way my foot moves, that would be something of a game changer for me and I’d buy it in an instant…so I’m curious to see how this evolves.
The PulsePodz slides are currently in pre-order for $149 from Syntilay.com and come in multiple colors, including black, white, and additional colorways such as pink, green and orange, with shipping beginning 90-120 days after pre-orders close.