At Istituto Marangoni Milano Design, the future is built one step at a time. As part of the Master in Product Design for Human-Robot Interaction, students took on a unique challenge: to design an intelligent sneaker capable of adapting in real time to the human body and the surrounding environment.

In collaboration with e-Novia, a pioneer in applied robotics and mechatronic innovation, and with Wahu, a brand renowned for its vision of dynamic, transformable footwear, the Step Forward project was born. An advanced experimentation that turned the everyday act of walking into an enhanced, engaging, and futuristic experience.

Design that adapts to movement

Students were asked to rethink the sneaker as a living extension of the body. The brief called for the development of a shoe that could:

• automatically adapt to different surfaces—from city streets to uneven terrains;
  
  
• improve posture and distribute weight to reduce joint strain;
  
  
• offer a fun and multisensory interaction with movement.
  
  

Technology is no longer an added layer, but the core of the project. With biomechanical sensors, smart materials, soft actuators, and AI-powered microprocessors, these sneakers become true wearable devices with desirable design appeal.

Innovation and education: a meaningful synergy

The project marked a profound connection between education and industry. Students’ creative skills were challenged by e-Novia’s engineering expertise and Wahu’s product vision, resulting in concepts that have the potential to become real products.

Through presentations, physical models, and advanced renderings, each team shared its design journey—from initial research to prototyping. The result was a collection of ideas that merge aesthetics and functionality, imagining use cases ranging from enhanced athletic performance to sustainable urban mobility.

Towards a more human-centered design

Step Forward is not just an academic exercise, but a tangible example of how design can respond to real needs while anticipating technological and societal trends. It’s an invitation to look beyond the object—towards the experience, the interaction between humans and machines, between body and technology.

With this project, Istituto Marangoni Milano Design reaffirms its mission: to train designers capable of shaping tomorrow, today.