Stair tread covers have been overlooked as a structural component for thousands of years, yet a new era in innovation has arrived. As technology continues to influence building materials and design, we will continue to develop stair coverings to keep people safe while protecting the stairs through their use to extend the staircase lifespan. The design of Stair Tread Covers will no longer just offer slip resistance and wear protection but will transform into intelligent, sustainable, and highly adaptive components of the built environment.

Interactive and Intelligent Surfaces

By integrating intelligent technology into stair tread cover materials, the biggest advancements will come through interactive surfaces.

Imagine having stair treads with:

Pressure-sensing illumination: Micro sensors & organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) and/or electroluminescent materials allow for illumination of the stairway as they approach it, creating a highlighted path of light to help promote stairway safety, where the light intensity adjusts based on the ambient light level. Also, flash gently in certain areas to alert the user where there is a transition (between treads) and finally a tread.

Health and occupancy monitoring: In personal and community care facilities such as assisted living communities and/or family residences, stair treads with sensors can detect abnormal gait and/or prolonged no-movement; thus, they can alert caregivers or emergency response team members. For commercial buildings, this information can be part of the Smart Building Systems, which can then provide a more efficient way to manage the use of lighting and HVAC as they relate to the number of people within the building.

Energy Harvesting: Kinetic energy harvested from footfalls to power lighting and sensors. Using piezoelectric or electromagnetic induction technology. Generates minor amounts of energy that can be fed back into the building's grid or used to power the tread itself. To create a "self-sustaining thread."

The future of tread materials will be characterized by high-performance, circular, and bio-fabricated tread materials.

Self-healing and Adaptive Polymers

Research is being conducted on the use of polymers containing microcapsules of healing agents and/or dynamic covalent bonds to develop Stair Treads that can autonomously heal small scuffs, cuts, and abrasions. This has the potential to significantly extend the usable life of treads and greatly reduce the amount of waste created from discarded treads.

Programmable Friction: The coefficient of friction of the tread's surface could be altered based on environmental condition(s) using gecko-like properties or other biomimetic principles. For example, the surface of the tread may become highly grippy when it detects moisture (through moisture sensors embedded in the tread) and, conversely, revert to a smooth surface when the tread is dry.

Use of Regenerative and Bio-Based Materials: There will be an accelerated move away from the use of virgin plastics and rubber in the manufacture of treads. Some of the materials used to manufacture threads in the future may include mycelium composites (derived from fungal networks), algae-based polymers, and reinforced bioplastics obtained from agricultural waste. At the end of their lifespan, these products can be fully composted. Additionally, we are likely to see the introduction of a new "living" type of tread covering that includes resilient moss or lichen arranged in a structural matrix, which will allow them to increase air quality through phytoremediation.

As a result of improvements in manufacturing methods, we will likely be able to produce very high-performance tread products that are comprised of 100% post-consumer recycled materials, including materials made from end-of-life tires, waste plastics from the ocean, and even cheap footwear, which will be recycled through advanced chemical processes that recover their physical properties.

Hyper-personalization and Adaptation through 3D Printing

The emergence of additive manufacturing will provide unprecedented opportunities for customization and functional design.

Bespoke and Immediate Production Capability: Producing custom treads that perfectly fit any unique or historic staircase will be possible with digital designs. This capability allows production to be focused on small local areas, reducing the need for transportation and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Multiple Density Printing Capability: A tread could be produced using multiple densities during the same printing process. For example, the front of the tread may include soft cushioning for impact absorption, while the bottom of the tread may feature extra-grippy patterns for better traction when stepping, while the outside edges are reinforced for increased durability.

Modular and Reconfigurable Systems: The tread covers can evolve to include modular tile systems with interconnecting elements. If individual tiles are damaged, they may be replaced in seconds, while other aesthetic textures or wear patterns can be rotated and used to increase the overall longevity of the installation.