Smart Shoes
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These smart shoes vibrate to point you in the right direction
One of the best uses for wearable technology is to help you get around without being hunched over your smartphone. Google Glass and smartwatches do this, but you're still staring at a screen instead of enjoying the scenery. That's all set to change thanks to an Indian company that wants to put navigation equipment in your shoes. The Lechal interactive haptic footwear hooks up to your smartphone and when you reach a junction, vibrates the left (or right) foot depending on which turn you need to make. The gear is expected to launch in September, and you'll be able to choose between full shoes or just insoles that'll fit inside your regular pair of kicks. You can register your interest on Ducere's website right now, and can expect to pay $150 for a pair -- hopefully a portion of which will go to the creators of Red Dwarf, who came up with a similar idea 26 years ago.
Outland Research patents "smart soles" for adjustable shoes
Now if they could only figure out Power Lacing Technology. California-based Outland Research has recently received a patent for its new sports shoe tech that allows for adjustable cushioning. The shoe features multiple hollow bladders, which are connected by a series of tubes (just like the internet) and contain some spiffy electrically-activated liquid. When a charge is applied, the liquid hardens, changing from a free-flowing cushion to a stiff foot support for running or jogging. The change can be activated by a knob on the shoe, via Bluetooth, or even potentially by a shock sensor in the shoe itself, which could adjust firmness on the fly. Changes in the liquid take only a few milliseconds, so the shoe could even potentially adjust stiffness step to step. No word yet on any commercial takers just yet.[Via Smart Mobs]
