shoes

Let your shoes do the charging

After researching a device that draws energy from knee movement, some mechanical engineering students at Rice University decided to see if they could get the same result from another, less intrusive wearable item: a shoe.

With help from the Movement Analysis Laboratory at Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston, the resulting PediPower shoes harness energy from the force of the heel hitting the ground. The prototype -- while admittedly big, unattractive, and impractical to wear 100 percent of the time (think sleeping, showering, etc.) -- demonstrates that the simple act of walking may one day power a wide range of … Read more

Google shows off a talking shoe

"I am killing you."

So said the tired foot to the head.

This is just one scenario I envisage with the latest -- and perhaps most imaginative -- product coming out of Google.

Not content with suggesting that you should put on a pair of tasteless glasses in order to get Martha Stewart's latest pierogi recipe, Google yesterday unveiled an even more sensational wearable product from its magic hat.

As Engadget reports, the company peopled its Google Playground with a man holding a pair of Adidas sneakers that talked.

It makes the self-driving car seem like a … Read more

Apple wants to let you know when to buy new shoes

Hold the phone -- Apple wants to let you know when it's time to buy your next pair of shoes.

In a recently published patent application, the tech giant has proposed embedding sensors in footwear that would track the wearer's activity and send a notification when it's time for a new pair. The application describes a "Shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods."

The application's summary describes the system thus:

A body bar sensing system for sensing movement of a body bar may be provided. The body bar sensing … Read more

Sneaker Speaker: Put on your dancing shoes

Despite the move to tiny portable music systems, some of us still long for the good old days of extremely noticeable boomboxes. You can indulge your nostalgia by dressing your iPhone up to look like one, or you could strap some wearable speakers to your feet.

The Sneaker Speaker from New York design group Ray Kingston Inc. wraps a set of speakers over the top of the shoe. Information about both the product and the designer is pretty sketchy so far.… Read more

Mario, 'Star Wars,' Chuck Taylors collide in nerdy shoe collection

Knitting, once seen as a hobby reserved for fleet-fingered elders, has become an awesomely nerdy pastime. This movement has resulted in such creations as knitted frog dissection kits, knitted Princess Leia buns, and customized knitted geek Converse.

Etsy seller PrettySneaky's store is full of wearable knitted nerd art sneakers. The shoes are made from classic Converse high tops with hand-knitted uppers crafted from wool yarn. … Read more

GPS shoes give directions on top of your toes

GPS shoes already exist, but they've been more about tracking the wearer than giving directions. A project by U.K. artist Dominic Wilcox solves that oversight by putting directions right at the tips of your toes.

The prototype leather shoes were made by hand in old-world style by Stamp Shoes, but with some decidedly new-world technology tucked inside courtesy of interactive arts and technology expert Becky Stewart. … Read more

Amazon shutters popular shoe site endless.com

Never fear, Amazon says, it's not really closing down its trendy shoe and accessory Web site endless.com -- it's migrating it to Amazon.com/Fashion.

The company posted a note on its Web site today saying that it has "exciting news." Apparently, as of September 27, endless.com will be no more. The goal for the company is to integrate this mainly shoe Web site into its bigger apparel site.

Here's more from endless.com:

This new style destination will have the latest shoes, handbags, jewelry and watches from an expanded selection of brands--including … Read more

Geek bras proliferate in Etsy undergarment fashion explosion

The Angry Birds bra came to our attention last year. Little did we suspect at the time it was just the tip of the undergarment iceberg in an upcoming flood of geek-themed bras.

If "Star Trek" is more your thing, then you can get a blue sciences division bra complete with insignia in vaguely the right location. Other options include a Portal bra and a nod to every 12-year-old boy's favorite calculator joke, "BOOBIES" done up in numeric style.… Read more

Tweet the feet: Adidas kicks get a built-in Twitter feed

Let's fast-forward to 2016. We're in Rio de Janeiro. Runner Usain Bolt decides to go for another historic Olympics run. He looks down at his shoes, where an outpouring of fan support flashes across a tiny display. "Go Usain!!!! Do it in WR time #olympics2016."

This could happen now that we have a proof-of-concept social-media shoe. Adidas and shoe hacker/designer Nash Money got together to rip apart a pair of Barricade shoes and embed a Twitter feed right into the sneakers.… Read more