When the difference between winning and losing a race is a matter of milliseconds, it doesn't take much to get an edge. Luc Fusaro of the Royal College of Arts sees a significant advantage in fully-customized footwear. "Scientific investigations have shown that tuning the mechanical properties of a sprint shoe to the physical abilities of an athlete can improve performance by up to 3.5%, when an improvement of 0.7% can already make a significant difference in a sprinter's chance of winning a particular race."

So Fusaro has designed a pair of custom cleats using an additive manufacturing technique called Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). "Following 3D scanning of the athlete's feet, a 'one shot' full sprint shoe is produced, complete with traction elements and shoelace features."

As 3D printing becomes more prevalent, more versatile and cheaper, we may see a whole range of truly personalized sporting equipment. The impact it will have is hard to overestimate.

To read more about Fusaro's shoe (including what he sees as its current shortcomings) and the 'Designed to Win' project, visit his website.