technabob » ubiq http://technabob.com/blog gadgets, gizmos, games, cool gadgets, geeky gadgets Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:53:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 sneakers detect wi-fi while you walk http://technabob.com/blog/2008/06/10/sneakers-detect-wi-fi-while-you-walk/ http://technabob.com/blog/2008/06/10/sneakers-detect-wi-fi-while-you-walk/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:40:05 +0000 karen m. http://technabob.com/blog/?p=2479 “A Step in the Right Direction” is a sneaker that detects Wi-Fi while you walk, via a tricky network detection unit embedded under the left shoe flap.

wifi sneaker

The three LEDs on the flap (supposedly) show you how much Wi-Fi action is within 50 meters. If the lights are blinky, you’ve got bupkis. If they’re solid, you’ve got a wifi signal. Question: why couldn’t they just make the lights turn competely off if there’s no signal? It seems inane. Still, if you’re worried these will keep you awake all night with their blinking, don’t fret- the LEDs only become activated when pressure is detected on the insole, or in layman’s terms, if you’re walking around.

wifi sneaker

These kooky kicks are a collaborative project by mstrpln and Ubiq. Their goal was to merge “digital culture with fashion and design into a wearable technology.” I think they got the digital part down OK, but the fashion thing is questionable, eh? Generally I think of blinky light-up shoes as the bailiwick of the under-8 set.

[via Make:]

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