Samsung’s obsession with connecting everything is taking the next logical step. Salted Venture, a Samsung backed startup, has announced the IOFIT smart shoe. The sensor laden gym shoes are intended to collect wearer information to provide feedback on posture during exercise; which allows the footwear to act as a coaching aid.
The Iofit is equipped with accelerometers and pressure sensors in the outsoles of the shoe. This allows it to measure users’ balance, weight shift, ground contact force and centre of gravity. All the data is fed to the Iofit app, which will recommend adjustments to prevent injury and improve form. At the moment, it looks like the system only caters to gym routines and golf; but we’re sure that Samsung will find a way to help the company expand the scope of the shoes.
Assisting the wearer is a feature of the Iofit app that allows coaches to remotely provide feedback. We’re not sure how it is intended to work, but the introductory video seems to indicate that the app has a built in recording feature. The coach is able to draw directly on to the recording to provide feedback, or view two videos side by side to see if the user is making the proper corrections.
There’s no release information about the Iofit yet, and the Salted Venture is still talking to footwear companies about introducing its technology into their products. In the mean time, the prototype shoes will be on display at MWC 2016; where the company intends to grab the attention of other major apparel companies.
[Source: Samsung]
