Kicking up an ink! Designer Taylor Tabb creates trainer that doubles as a printer
Designer and engineer Taylor Tabb's Footprints is a remarkable creation - a pair of trainers that also acts as a printer.
These intriguing kicks blend the timeless silhouette of a Converse Mid-Top with the functionalities of a handheld inkjet printer.
At first glance, the shoes sport the classic look of an iconic Converse design. However, a closer inspection reveals a delightful twist - concealed within the sole of each shoe lies a genuine HP ink cartridge and inkjet hardware.
Explaining how they work, the creative technologist says: “The primary hardware is a modified hand-held inkjet printer - the enclosure is removed to allow more space for a foot, and it’s been fixtured into the heel of the shoe. It's not the roomiest shoe, but it is wearable!”
With many no longer having a bulky printer at home, Tabb’s creation offers a new option - wearing an item you can print documents on as long as you have some paper - or actually any appropriate surface - handy. Footprints were imagined as a hypothetical (so unofficial) collaboration between two renowned brands, Converse and HP.
Explaining the motivation behind the design, Tabb adds: “The base shoe is a Converse mid-top sneaker. The sneaker is basically a plain white chuck, but I've added custom vinyl to make it feel more printer-like. The colorful tubes are purely aesthetic, I wanted to give the shoes a bit of a hype-beast sneaker-head vibe while evoking the idea that the object truly is a blend of printer and shoe.”
Tabb's portfolio also showcases a range of unconventional endeavours, from a robot concealed within a watermelon's shell to a wearable chemical energy storage system.
