Google shows off hacked shoes at SXSW

Google has shown off another one of its creative projects that, sadly, will not be making it to the market place. At SXSW, Google showed off its talking shoe. The modified shoe is part of a pair of Adidas high tops. It is customized with accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, and a microphone attached to its tongue. This shoe could be your best friend or worst enemy when it comes to exercising.

The talking shoe speaks to you and provides you feedback based on your movements. The shoe has its on personality which is customized by a series of if-and statements, and it communicates to your Android device through Bluetooth. The shoe demonstrated by Google’s representative encouraged athletic activity. If you aren’t moving, it will say things like, “I’m snoring”, or “In case you forgot, it’s left right left right.” However, some shoes may encourage laziness, and complain when you make any movement.

The shoe experiment is part of Google’s way to encourage creativity and entice more of the young folk at SXSW to get into computer technology and software development. It’s part of the Art, Copy & Code project Google has launched to improve online advertising and get readers interested. The project is meant to create experiments so Google and its partners can see what concepts interests consumers the most. Google says its “a series of experiments to re-imagine advertising.”

The Art, Copy & Code project was the main part of Google’s set-up at SXSW. It was across the street from the Austin Convention Center, and it was sports themed. There was a basketball court and an obstacle course inside. While Google is mainly trying to get people interested in development, it’s nice that they are also encouraging physical activity at their SXSW ‘Playground’. The shoes won’t be making it to a store near you, however Google may open-source the information on the experiment so you (or someone) can make your own.

[via Engadget]