Sunday Times 2
Do you have two left feet? New smart socks can teach anyone how to dance
This could be the perfect gift for the partner who embarrasses you on the dance floor.
Smart socks that can teach you to dance may be the answer for anyone with two left feet.
The futuristic gadget was invented by an American company as a tool to help runners improve their technique.
The sock (not pictured) is fitted with sensors that detects where the wearer's foot lands on the ground in real time (Reuters)
But the firm says the technology can be developed to teach people how to dance, play sports such as golf, or even to help teach women to walk better in high heels.
The hi-tech garments, which look, feel and can be washed like normal clothes, are made of special fibres that monitor the movements of your feet.
Sensors record each movement and relay them via an ankle bracelet transmitter to a smart phone.
Then a ‘virtual coach’ app analyses the information and can tell the user what they are doing wrong and help improve technique in any task involving the feet.
The socks, which are part of a revolution in ‘smart wearables’ set to transform our interaction with computers, will go on sale as a running tool in March.
Davide Vigano, head of manufacturer Heapsylon, said: ‘The idea is to have technology that fits into our usual way of life, so you barely know it’s there.
‘We have had interest from all sorts of sports – skiing, football, cycling and golf. They could all benefit from it.
‘Anything where you have to use your feet can use it.
‘We even had a guy from Argentina who wants to use it for the tango.
‘It could even be put in high heels to help women walk in them safely.’
The smart socks are made with conductive threads that act as sensors, producing a current when pressure is exerted on them.
They pick up pressure points in three areas of the foot – around the big toe, the little toe and the heel. The data is picked up by the ankle bracelet, collated with outside conditions such as temperature, altitude and terrain, and then beamed via Bluetooth to a smart phone.
The socks have been developed for running so that users can accurately record how far and fast they run but also how well, a process known as gait analysis.
An app downloaded to a smartphone then advises the user via headphones when they are warmed up, running too much on the toes or heel, or running below optimum rhythm or cadence.
The information means the user maximises their performance but also reduces damage to joints and prevents injury.
© Daily Mail, London