With a Kickstarter pre-sale exceeding 125 percent of its goal, Austrian ski manufacturer ORIGINAL+ is now transitioning into a full consumer launch and a summer of custom ski production.
Kickstarter supporters will be the first to experience ORIGINAL+’s proprietary artificial intelligence software and custom-ski building process. And starting in July 2018, consumers across the globe will be able to purchase custom skis crafted with artificial intelligence through the ORIGINAL+ webshop.
“As a newly founded company, ORIGINAL+ is thrilled to see this level of customer demand and trust,” stated Original+ founder Siegfried Rumpfhuber. “The Kickstarter project was a perfect means to foster our growth while keeping our independence and launching us into full production.”
The specially designed artificial intelligence software is the backbone of ORIGINAL+’s first-of-its-kind approach to ski building. Developed by engineers who have worked with top auto industry brands like Audi and Volkswagen, alongside longtime ski industry professionals, the proprietary software compiles personalized customer data including height, weight, skiing style, terrain preferences, and home ski area through an interactive web portal. It then translates these inputs into precise ski construction parameters tuned to the unique needs of the customer.
Every pair of ORIGINAL+ skis will be manufactured with industry-leading craftsmanship. But, thanks to the streamlined, AI-supported customization process and machine-learning elements in production, ORIGINAL+ can offer custom-fitted skis at prices competitive to most mass-market ski brands.
“The concept of product customization has been intriguing to expert skiers right from the start,” stated Rumpfhuber. “During the past two years of development, we have found out that it is truly beneficial to almost all levels of skier. Custom skis are more fun and improve technique and general skill level.”
The ORIGINAL+ AI software and ski presses will be turned on all summer building this new breed of custom-crafted skis. The ORIGINAL+ team will also continue to collect ski data to refine their software and ski building precision through internal testing and public demos at the summer glacier resorts of the Alps. General consumers will be able to purchase their own pair of custom skis crafted with AI when the ORIGINAL+ webshop launches in July 2018.
Further coverage of ORIGINAL+ can be found in the spring issue of Inside Outdoor Magazine. For more information, click here.
