AI-enhanced design is no longer confined to labs or prototypes; it’s already at work in industries you encounter every day. From creating life-changing prosthetic to refining the tools used on factory floors, AI is helping engineers and designers build smarter, safer, and more sustainable products.

i) Ergonomics: Personalized Comfort, Optimized Fit  

Designing for the human body, especially when comfort and usability are at stake—has always been a challenge. AI now makes it easier to craft products that respond to individual anatomy, not just average measurements.

• Prosthetic and Orthotics: Startups and healthcare innovators are using AI to develop prosthetic limbs that are custom-fitted based on patient-specific 3D scans. These designs optimize weight distribution, pressure relief, and mobility.

For example, companies like UNYQ use generative design to produce stylish, breathable orthotic covers that blend medical function with fashion.

• Exoskeletons: In industrial settings, wearable robotic exoskeletons are being designed using AI to match the exact contours of a worker’s body, reducing fatigue and injury risks. AI simulations test hundreds of ergonomic configurations to find the one that offers maximum support without compromising movement.

• Wearable and Gloves: AI-driven modeling helps design gloves for athletes, factory workers, or even VR users that provide optimal grip, breath ability, and dexterity. The materials and stitching patterns are optimized digitally before any prototype is made.

ii) Tooling and Fixtures: Strength Without the Weight  

In manufacturing, tools, fixtures, and jigs are essential for holding, positioning, and assembling parts. Traditionally, these were built heavy and robust to ensure durability. But AI is flipping that logic—delivering lighter, smarter designs that perform just as well.

AI-driven design tools, such as generative design and topology optimization, analyze stress points, material usage, and load paths to create geometries that use less material without compromising strength. These tools generate design alternatives that are often impossible for humans to conceptualize, yet they deliver superior performance and efficiency. Combined with additive manufacturing (3D printing), these optimized structures are not only lighter but also faster and cheaper to produce. This shift results in agile production setups, reduced energy consumption, and easier handling on the factory floor.

• Automotive and Aerospace Tooling: Companies like General Motors and Airbus have integrated AI-powered generative design tools to create lightweight fixtures used in assembly lines. These AI systems evaluate millions of design possibilities based on performance goals and constraints like strength, weight, and material efficiency,to arrive at optimal solutions. As a result, the fixtures are 30 to 50 percent lighter, easier to handle, and just as strong. AI also helps minimize raw material use, reducing both production costs and environmental impact.

• Injection Mold Tooling: In plastic manufacturing, AI-driven simulation and optimization algorithms are used to refine mold designs for better material flow and cooling performance. These AI tools predict potential defects, simulate thermal behaviours, and automatically adjust mold geometry to improve part quality and shorten cycle times. This leads to fewer rejects, lower energy consumption, and reduced waste,making the production process smarter and more sustainable.

iii ) Consumer Tech: Sleek, Smart, and Sustainable  

Consumer electronics and lifestyle products are getting smaller, smarter, and more complex. AI plays a major role in balancing aesthetics, performance, and sustainability in the design of these everyday items.

• Smart Rings and Watches: Devices like Oura Ring and fitness trackers rely on precise internal layouts for sensors and batteries.Oura leverages AI during product design to optimize internal geometry—maximizing functionality in minimal space while ensuring comfort and durability for the wearer.

• Audio Gear and Headsets: Generative design tools assist in shaping casings for earbuds and headphones that offer better acoustic performance while being lighter and more durable. Materials are chosen based on AI predictions of environmental impact and recyclability.

• Fashion-Tech Hybrids: In the growing market of wearable tech, AI enables the blending of electronics with textiles. From heated jackets to smart insoles, AI ensures circuits, batteries, and sensors are embedded in ways that don’t compromise flexibility or breathability.

The Result: Better Products, Smaller Footprints  

Across all these applications, a consistent pattern is emerging: AI-driven designs perform better, fit better, and consume less. Products are no longer overbuilt—they’re precision-optimized from the start, often using less material while maintaining or even enhancing durability.

This doesn’t just benefit users—it reduces material waste, shortens design cycles, and lowers carbon emissions, contributing to more sustainable production practices across industries.