Nike Dunks + WiFi = A Step in the Right Direction
By Ryan Block 
posted May 4th 2008 5:36AM
posted May 4th 2008 5:36AM
[Thanks, JideOsan]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
OMG
put WiFi in every shoe.
Then Big Brother can just sit back and arrest criminals at will....since you'll know exactly where they are.
nice comment
So now we're gonna have harmful electro-magnetic radiation eminating through the bones of our feet. Can I smell arthritis 10 years down the road? ;)
Okay, I've seen the WiFi dectecting shitrs, the WiFi detecting watches, and the WiFi detecting shoes. Nice tries.
The world is waiting for the WiFi detecting condom.
Yeah, I'm fed up with analog sex!
That sounds great to me. I've got a mighty antenna to probe for signals with!
Definitely, I'd be like built in birth control.
Generally condoms ARE birth control...
@allthat:
Jackie Treehorn: "The wave of the future, dude; 100% electronic."
Dude: "Huh. Well, I still jerk off manually."
-jp
your name's lebowski, lebowski
My sex is entirely digital, if you catch my drift.
*holds up fingers -- sighs*
wifi condom? yes, that's be true cybersex, or teledildonics as it was known for a while, a great name that should be revived!
Since they have that little Nike symbol on them, they must be worth a lot of money, but in my humble opinion, those are some ugly ass shoes. I have seen Arnold Palmer shoes which look better. But then, I think most "urban" shoes and sneakers are ugly.
In any case, who are these shoes directed to? Moby?
I guess I don't have a sense of "shoe consciousness".
I completely agree, those shoes are seriously ugly.
Perhaps Sir would prefer a nice velcro walker instead?
Where is the Maxwell Smart shoe phone dunks?
MSTRKRFT sucks
You're obviously not indie enough for THIS blog!
c'mon... MSTRKRFT is the closest you're going to get to new DFA 1979. How can that suck?
Enjoy your coldplay mkeith85. Nice MSTRKRFT reference engadget, maybe DFA1979 next?
MSTRKRFT isn't indie. theyre signed to a major record label.
Michael, I'm not too sure I would consider Last Gang Records to be a major record label.
MSTRKRFT rocks
I don't get the point of wifi detecting on shoes, shirts, and etc. I mean its kinda cool, but has no sense of usability. Even if you can find wifi signals while jogging, it doesn't mean you can really connect to it unless it is unencrypted signal. I doubt you want to spend the time outside to whip out ur latop or smartphone and try to bypass secured networks either, unless it's your kind of thing, then more power to you.
Precisely my thoughts. Other than being a useless gimmick, what is the point? At least the tshirts have cool light-up effects on them that you can see without craning your neck down. With these, in order to justify the cash you wasted on them, unless they set off some kind of alarm, you'd have to be staring at your feet all day as you walk.
P.S. They look like orthotics.
"A step in the right direction" = pun intended lol
Gosh.
That would be fun in front of TSA-droids!
I suppose you could just tell them it's a new type of hard drive.
A Step In The Right Direction and they can't even put together a normal website that scrolls down? Their website is in the wrong direction, I think.
Also, I wouldn't be caught dead walking down the street with LEDs on my shoes. I thought LEDs on shoes were for toddler Spider-Man shoes and what not.
Those shoes are fugly as all get-out, but I actually kind of like the side-scrolling web page. Not usually, but in this case it works.
All these things to detect wi-fi, and my area just got DSL three weeks ago.
...Yay
Sucks to be you I guess.
*goes off to his 12Mbs internet*
Thumbs down on this one....the question is why? Notice the oh so ugly shoes! Do they blink off and on as you walk, like kids shoes?
Augustus H. Shaw IV
Not to mention the humiliation factor of wearing blinky shoes in the office...
i'm sure airport security won't have any issues with these shoes....might wanna leave em' at home if you're flying.
I've seen the WiFi in the shoe, but is there a screen or anything that actually uses the WiFi connection? Or are these shoes just going to let me know what's around? Also, how long is the battery and what about networks with passwords?
The lights just blink when there's a WiFi network around. as for battery.. .no idea. it might even be powered by your running. passwords... it might only blink for unencrypted ones, it might not.
as you can see from the detailed schematic in the photo, the circuit includes two LED's and an infrared receptor. The first LED blinks morris code for the text of any web page you want to visit. The second LED encodes Frequency Modulated Sound so that if you squint you can see the music, and you use the infrared receptor with the wirelessdetectingshoe detecting baseball cap which includes a keyboard and mouse that you use to talk to your shoe which gets the internet and displays it through it's sophisticated implimentation of 2 leds.
Meh. Just Wi-Fi detection; I thought it was actual Wi-Fi capabilities. Would be cool if my computer could nag me when my feet start to smell.
On second thought...
FINALLY! I had this idea, like, 2 years ago. But then I realized how stupid it was...
Well, I have concerns about the battery.
Does it have an internal battery that will wear out after some time, or does it generate its energy as the person walks. If its the second way then I can't imagine how the price will be, if it's the other way than it has the chance to turn off, rendering the whole idea pointless...
..wait a minute. Wasn't it also pointless before? I mean seriously, if Nike doesn't have plans for a killer app or anything that will make the idea practically useful, why did they ever make it?
Hey, They Aren't That Bad, That Is, Until You Step In A Puddle And Get Electrocuted.
"The aesthetics of the shoe keep in theme with a covert and stealthy feel."
Yep, stealthy. Except for the row of blinking LEDs on your foot.
i for one think the shoes are sick, but then again im a total dunkaholic, note ppl if you dont like the l.e.d.s they are on a velcro pocket/sheath thing that is removable sick shoes tho!!!
if i get these that would make my 97th pair of dunks i want and need these scew the wifi
Wifi detection under pants with vibration... a humble way to detect wifi without showing everyone that you got a wifi detection device.
revive the rs computer!!! it would make more sense in a pair of those than sb dunks which, admittedly, dont need anymore bulk
Can't wait to see someone trying to get this through security at the airport!
Ultimate Nerd Shoes
WiFi detecting shoes might be useful for a small nerd niche, but I think they need to re-examine their demographic. I doubt the people who go down to the court to play a couple of pick up games are the same people who would say "Oh, time out, theres a WiFi signal here! I just need to get my laptop and check my RSS feeds."
And, if the wifi spot is protected then this detection will become useless.
It would be nice if the article explained how it will work and why?
They wont ever write how these actually work because you will never actually see them.. anywhere... ever.. they are a 1 of 1 custom collab. On another note, these are straight fire, and with these the point wasnt to decipher which LED does what, or how it will be powered, or what the schematics are, its just an idea that came up and decided to make a custom shoe.. sneakerheads understand this, geeky computer guys who wear Asic's or Reebok running shoes whenever they arnt in the office wearing orthopedic casual shoes wont understand this.. naturally..
Strange idea but good execution. Shout out to 4Wrestling.
yo excuse my blondness but i just had a geekasm lol.