Smart shoes galore at CES 2018
It is clear the race to make intelligent shoes is yet to catch on in a big way. This is despite the fact that feet are the most logical place from which to monitor movement. This may slowly be changing, however, and a number of companies have stepped up during CES 2018 with intelligent trackers for your feet.
Sensoria and Vivobarefoot team up on internet-connected barefoot shoe
Sensoria has teamed up with Vivobarefoot, a leading producer of barefoot shoes, to integrate its Sensoria Core technology into a new pressure sensing running shoe. The main novelty is that the shoe comes with an ultra-thin sole to allow the foot to move naturally, along with four fabric thin pressure sensors from Sensoria at the plantar area to track movement.
Essential reading: CES 2018, catch up on all the essential news here
The technology helps to detect forces such as impact score, foot landing and contact time metrics, with extreme precision. Sensoria’s Core hardware in the shoe streams the info to the accompanying smartphone app which provides detailed insights into your running metrics and form.
The Vivobarefoot Smart Shoe will be available later in 2018. No word on pricing yet.
E-vone smart shoes alert you when someone falls
French company E-vone is has dished up a smart shoe for reduced autonomy seniors. The footwear features a device hidden in its sole that is used to detect falling or abnormal movement. Once an alarm is triggered, alert messages are automatically sent to your designated contacts or emergency services.
Essential reading: Smart shoes, tracking fitness through your feet
Available in 26 different designs, the shoe includes GSM for communicating in over 120 countries. There is also GPS/LoRA antenna for locating and an accelerometer and gyroscope for movement sensing. Launching first in France, for 30 euros a month you can rent the shoes, access to the notification service, and get a new pair of shoes each year.
Under Armour launches two new pairs of connected sneakers
The third generation of Under Armour’s smart shoes series is making its debut at CES 2018. Dubbed the Hovr Phantom and Hovr Sonic, the connected apparel spits out running metrics such as distance, stride length and cadence.
The shoes have smart sensors integrated in the soles including a Bluetooth module, accelerometer and gyroscope. According to the company, the onboard battery should last about the length of the shoe’s stated running shelf life. The modules activate automatically when the system senses motion, syncing with a connected smartphone. If you happen to leave your phone behind, no worries. The shoes also contain onboard storage allowing you to sync results later.
Both pairs are priced between $100 and $150 and are already available for purchase in the US.
Motus Smart, Sensoria powered intelligent diabetic footwear
Sensoria Health and Italian medical equipment manufacturer Optima have teamed up to create Motus Smart, the world’s first smart diabetic footwear.
The intelligent shoe monitors patient’s rehabilitation compliance to the clinician’s prescribed mechanical offloading protocol. This helps to manage diabetic foot ulceration and prevents amputations from becoming medically necessary.
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