How Much Computing Will You Wear In Your Shoes?
from the very-smart-shoes dept
Forget gimmicky tricks like the "air pump" in the tongue or blinking lights on the back of sneakers, now companies like Adidas are working on "smart" shoes that include sophisticated sensors, a microprocessor and an electric motor to monitor how the shoe is responding to whatever the wearer is doing and adjust the shoe on the fly. That is, if the compression of the base of the shoe is too soft or too hard, it will adjust to make it better, lessening the wear and tear on a runner's knees. Like those blinking lights on shoes that are popular with kids, it appears this sneaker will come with some blinking lights too - but they'll serve a purpose: displaying the "settings" of your sneakers. This may be the first shoe that needs its own CD-ROM instruction manual. Don't think shoe technology ends here, either. This is just the start of where some people see these smart shoes going. Some are even predicting that, for all the hype about wearable computing, the best place to put such processing power is in the shoe.
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shoe viruses and shoe phones
If your shoe gets a virus, will you be able to stomp it out? Will the shoe be able to transmit its data via a Maxwell Smart shoe phone?
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Cost
Computers in shoes. Good, because Nikes and Addidas shoes are SO inexpensive right now.
Hello $450 dollar shoes. "What, you can't afford to put your children in good shoes?"
I'm not saying it wouldn't help runners, but just how much of a difference would it make? 10% easier on the knees?
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Foot fungus amongus
In the news:
Today the first shoe virus was released ... Security experts have reported that it will make the user unstable, possibly resulting in a crash or fall. Dr. Scholl Anti-virus software(tm) has named it the Athlete's feet virus.
( grin )
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Regarding Cost
Taken from the article:
" Sleek and lightweight despite its battery-powered sensor, microprocessor and electric motor, the shoe, named 1, is expected to be in stores by December and will cost $250. "
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