India’s Answer to Google Glass: The Smartshoe

Shoes are a fantastic idea, and highly overlooked. The biggest hurdle to wearable technology is the friction required to convince a consumer to wear it. We all wear shoes. We don't all wear glasses or watches. Some of us even wear contacts to avoid wearing glasses. The Smartshoe doesn't seem as competitive to Google Glass as it is complimentary. Glasses have a better appeal for visual media capture because you can see what you're capturing in real time and from a better angle. The Smartshoe could have a better appeal for fitness and GPS use cases. Emphasizing 'smartsole' would probably be a better sell than 'smartshoe' though. Letting consumers stick with their personal fashion choices, i.e. Nike, Vans, is a powerful selling point.

I am not sure how is it an answer to google glass !! It navigates and counts the number of steps and roughly the number of calories the wearer burns. Now if we consider it as an answer to google glass then is it an answer to smart watch and astronaut's suits(I consider them wearables as they are expensive and loaded with tech). End of the day, title's a bit too misleading I would say but none the less a good invention and I might even go back home and buy it.

Why is it titled India's answer to Google Glass? Possible explanations: 1. The editors know that Indians are susceptible to jingoistic patriotism. "Wow Indians did this? Really?" 2. The editors think that Indians as a collective are not a piece of the flat world and their accomplishments are more surprising than routine. 3. Now that China has pulled itself close to developed nations, India represents "The Third World Asian Country".

I am not offended. IMO all of the above are true. But I guess it can't be too hard to refer a product by the company name rather than the whole nation.

I like the idea, but can I suggested also on the same note that they can create a high tech condom, which will let you know how many diseases you have avoided each time you wear it, and it might have also a pleasure indicator, so at the end both partners, will know how much the other one faked. (Obviously this message is intended as a joke, and should not offend anyone)

This is an absolutely brilliant idea.

Wearables like Glass solve the problem of people having their faces glued to their phones by gluing their phones to their faces. And people use their faces for social interaction. So face-mounted tech is immediately noticeable and obvious, especially around eyes and ears. Hence, the nickname "glasshole".

Vibration is not new. I recall seeing video of a belt fitted with multiple vibration motors that always vibrated the motor closest to true north. This allowed blindfolded people to navigate across the test field to a predetermined destination.

This puts the same concept into the least noticeable spot on your body: the soles of your feet. Shoes are nearly impossible to forget when you go out, and we are already well conditioned to tolerate wearing them.

Obviously, it has lower sensory resolution than a visual or audible interface, but it is going through a completely different channel. Over-eye or in-ear wearables have to compete for bandwidth in already cluttered channels. Tactile wearables have a wide open channel, just begging to be used.

Add in an interface for foot-gesture inputs, and you could do a lot more than just navigation and pedometry.

What does this have to do with Google Glass? I believe this is one of those cases where writing your own post title is allowed (encouraged?).

I a not convinced of the benefits of wearable technology in the immediate future. The watch was the original piece of wearable technology for years, but many people including myself don't bother with them now, because they can check their phone. The other application I can see an advanced version of a heart rate monitor. The fact is these will only appeal to a small part of the population. There are far more people who don't give a shit about their health than do AND want to shell out for something like this.

This article actually gave a new case, for blind people. But considering how frustrating a conventional smartphone can be to get directions (no GPS lock, no signal, the phone has just decided to run slow while you really need it, or it crashes), I am skeptical about how good it will actually be. What is the advantage in having your shoe tell you which way to go over a handheld device like a phone?

I'm surprised that this wasn't mentioned: http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_...

This is an awful headline. Not a terrible idea though - always exciting to see new wearables.

On a similar note, check out Northpaw, a project to help people develop a sense of north - http://sensebridge.net/projects/northpaw/. This exact same method might actually be an easier way to get wearable navigational aids, as it will work with all shoes.

What I found interesting was that the insoles featured had a surprisingly similar height profile to my medical orthotic insoles for pes cavovarus (high arches, inward-turned heels)[1]. I'm all for tech that fits disabilities by default! (although this is probably an accidental by-product of the required space for the tech)

This has a great application for travelers in certain areas. The article glosses over it with "even tourists can plug in their destinations and not have to stop to check their phones" but this could be a big deal for people who spend a lot of time walking in unfamiliar areas where pickpockets roam.

It's really not a good idea to take out your fancy smartphone there to check at each corner, but imagine walking around like you actually know where to go. This even applies to places like London, where there have been multiple cases of motorcyclists riding next to the sidewalk (er, pavement) to snatch smartphones from pedestrians.

Can't help it: http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/get_smart-tv.jp...

People should look at technology rather than having a opinion, a person should not have mentioned India's answers to google. A very bad message for a country and to for the business.

> The shoes sync up with a smartphone app that uses Google maps and vibrate to tell users when and where to turn to each their destination.

You have to take into consideration that internet is not really great in India. Slow internet will force drawing of battery in mere an hour or two. Secondly, Google Maps in India isn't as great as it is in western countries.

I had to literally uninstall Moves because it would eat up at least 15-20% of battery compared to it used to either not take more than 5% of battery in US.

Interesting concept. I think this would be great for travellers so they don't have to ask for directions from locals who might otherwise misguide them. For example: http://learningindia.in/how-to-never-get-lost-in-india/ http://indiaopines.com/perils-directions-india/

If the only purpose of these shoes is to get directions, I would prefer a pair of bracelets, which I could wear on my wrists or my ankles.

India seems to produce many alternate low cost ideas for the latest technology. However being in India, we don't see or experience any mass market usage of these alternates. Some examples.. low cost tablet,laptop,even the tata nano low cost car don't have mass market adoption considering the fact that there are 1 billion+ people.

Certainly interesting idea. The writeup seems odd though.

one: Title is off. Second: "The shoes sync up with the Google maps smartphone app and vibrate to tell users when and where to turn to reach their destination."

Unless they worked with Google its not possible as out side Google Maps you have no way to notify your shoe about the turn (Through bluetooth).

Hmm......this sounds familiar...sounds very close to this MIT Media Lab project: http://dhairyadand.com/sec/?page=projects&id=supershoes

I like the vision. Those inserts will need to come in different varieties to allow for people who already need inserts for other reasons, e.g. arch support... odour control... (not me obviously, I'm commenting on behalf of a friend)

I'm surprised nobody brought up the mandatory Python reference yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka9mfZbTFbk

Related HN post from a number of years ago, covering a similar idea: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3192304

Just wait -- pretty soon, they'll come installed upward-pointing cams. And anyone opposed to having such gear in mass circulation will be derided as "luddites".

What is WSJ upto? How does a shoe even compare to Google Glass? I live in India and I did hear any news about this...

So every time you wear your shoes out, you have to buy a new pair of these expensive ones?

Was I the only one expecting a self-guided shoe you can throw at glassholes?

will it tickle the feet?

The first thing that came to my mind:

Play Dance Dance Revolution without a pad :D

cool stuff. a potential issue in India market for smart shoe in India is: in most holy places they need to remove footwear & also many a times they get stolen.

how did this make it to the first page?

It sure sounds great contender ;)