ConnectedArena One stop shop for everything on Wearables and Internet of Things!
Over reliance on smartphones has resulted in many of us being anti-social in many ways. For instance, we rely so heavily on Google Maps when we are in a new place, constantly checking out the route to arrive at a destination, thereby missing out on a lot of things the journey has to offer. This noble thought has resulted in a cool concept called SuperShoes, and it’s the perfect example of how Internet of Things is going to shape up our future.
SuperShoes isn’t a shoe per se, but a pair of enhanced shoe insoles (much like SmartMove) that let your toes do the navigating while you enjoy the sights. Each silicon insole sports an on-board microcontroller, a Bluetooth low-energy chip, a capacitive pad under the big toe, and three vibrotactile motors placed underneath the smaller toes. Don’t worry too much about these components. All you need to know is that the insoles connect to your smartphone through the Bluetooth module and use these motors to tickle your toes to go right or left until you arrive at your destination.
Not just that, users can register for the online platform ShoeCentral, where they record their interests, such as favorite food, people, places to shop and hobbies. The SuperShoes then connect with the user’s smartphone to act like a tour guide, tickling both feet when they have a suggestion for a new place to try as the user travels around the city, and improving their understanding of their interests as they go.
Making use of other details on your smartphone like your calendar and to-do list, ShoeCentral can intelligently device new walking routes when you have some spare time. How cool is that? Sadly, this cloud based service is still a concept, envisioned by a MIT media lab researcher, Dhairya Dand. The good thing is, Dhairya is working to make this a reality soon. We shall surely keep you updated on this project, so keep your credit card ready.
