Aetrex Worldwide is expanding its footprint in the orthotics market. The company announced Thursday the purchase of SOLS Systems, Inc., a medical and consumer grade 3D printed orthotics and software.
SOLS utilizes computer vision, computational geometry, machine learning and biomechanics for mass customization of footwear. The company’s patented end-to-end platform automatically generates 3D models of an individual’s anatomy based on photos from its imaging system, the first ever available on a smartphone. The same technology is used for the production of customized footwear.
“After meeting the Aetrex team over a year ago, we quickly realized how their global footprint and decades of industry experience in orthotics and footwear could advance SOLS’ product growth and accelerate our mission of revolutionizing footwear in the coming years,” said SOLS Founder and CEO Kegan Schouwenburg.
Last week at FN PLATFORM, Aetrex introduced Albert, a 3D foot scanner that captures information on a person’s foot, allowing shoppers to make more informed decisions when looking for shoes or insoles. Through the acquisition, the SOLS team will begin working with Aetrex’s hardware and software engineering teams on enhancing Albert.
“The acquisition of SOLS is consistent with the Aetrex mandate of always providing the most authentic consumer benefits through state of the art technology,” said Aetrex CEO Larry Schwartz. “The integration of SOLS technology into our footwear and orthotics businesses will allow Aetrex to offer unmatched customization and adjustability across our product lines.”