Current alpine ski equipment is developed and sold as separate skis, boots and bindings, often from different manufacturers. These components do not communicate or act as one mechanical system, so vibration damping, force transfer and motion control remain passive, fragmented and difficult to personalise.

This limits comfort, control and perceived safety, especially for skiers aged 55+ for whom fatigue, joint load and fear of falls can determine whether they continue skiing. At the same time, the industry needs more circular materials and more flexible production methods to support personalised, higher-value equipment without relying on solvent-intensive material routes.

The project will create an Active Suspension Drive platform in which the ski, binding and boot function as a single integrated system rather than three isolated products. The system will sense and adapt to terrain and skier interaction through components in the ski and boot, adjusting stiffness and damping in real time through a mechanical suspension function.

A completely new ski boot will be developed alongside the ski and binding architecture, enabling the suspension module to be designed into the product from the start. Recycled composite materials produced through a cryogenic, solvent-free route will be used as functional structural and damping elements, for example in binding housings, load-bearing inserts or boot sole components.

The innovation is not only the product, but the platform around it: personalised configurations, automated assembly and a smart data loop that uses test, use, service and market information to steer future variants. The target is to progress from conceptual validation to a pre-series demonstrator and prepare market entry after project completion.

The consortium will develop and validate the Active Suspension Drive concept across the ski, binding and a completely new ski boot. Elan will lead system integration, ski and binding development, demonstrators and distribution preparation, while Nearby Group will develop the new boot concept, shell, ergonomics, production approach and integration of the shared suspension module.

The partners will design and test mechanical damping and stiffness-control elements, integrate recycled composite inserts where they provide structural or damping value, and compare the active system against conventional passive equipment using vibration and acceleration measurements. User testing with the 55+ target group will assess comfort, control, fatigue reduction and usability.

The project will also develop the manufacturing basis for the new product platform, including ERP/MES-based product recognition and allocation, robotic assembly cells, insertion of recycled components and machine-vision quality control. A data loop will connect development sensor data, service and sales information and market signals to guide future suspension variants, material choices and personalisation profiles.

• ELAN, d.o.o. — Industrial coordinator (project coordinator)