h a l f b a k e r yWhy did I think of that?
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A simple GPS receiver, a small buzzer and a 1GB memory stick device, embedded in the heel of a shoe/boot. Whether the wearer walks, flies or drives, it records the GPS location of each shoe every ten seconds.
Can be interrogated by satellite, downloaded and overlaid on a map to see the path the
wearer took, places they visited, etc. This may be very useful for certain military applications. i.e. Hot extractions, capture and imprisonment.
Not good if target goes barefoot.
However, the most exciting feature of these shoes is their ability to tell you which direction to turn to get to your destination. A subtle, tingling buzz to your left heel, from the warning device, and you know that you will need to turn left at the next available turn, if you wish to take the quickest route to the Wing Chun Karate School. Memory sticks for most cities in the world will be available within a few years.
Popular with those owners of 7-series BMWs who have become dependent upon their GPS SatNav systems.
Power provided by small springloaded generators built into the unit. Each footfall depresses the spring. If you're not walking then induction coils built into the welts and soles derive power from embedded grids in most airliners, trains, buses and taxis.
Barefoot version.
http://www.halfbake...20ankle_20bracelets
[angel, Jul 08 2002, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Elaine from seinfeld?
http://www.geocitie...313/elainedance.gif
[sappho, Jul 08 2002, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Cabboots: shoes with integrated guidance system
http://www.digital....oject/cabboots.html
Martin Frey's summer project uses banking to communicate with the wearer [jutta, Oct 04 2005]
GPS Sneakers
http://news.yahoo.c...n_hi_te/gps_sneaker
Sneakers and running shoes with GPS implants. 6 styles for adults and children, $325-$350 plus $19.95/month for monitoring. [jurist, Feb 11 2007]
GPS shoes on Gizmag
http://www.gizmag.com/go/7841/
This link was posted as an idea which i thought I ought to delete as it was clearly a link and not an idea, naughty [Marklar], bad. [marklar, Oct 04 2007]
[link]
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GPS shoes could also be good for people who queue for public transport. If you stay in one place for long enough your shoes could start looking for the nearest bus stop, train station or taxi rank and feed directions to you via your soles. |
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With an increased definition you could use them to help your dancing, especially if you could trace the position of your belt buckle and cuff-links. |
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I suspect that many people would also require GPS-enabled bracelets or rings, to assist with erratic arm movement control, whilst dancing. |
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Sorry, I don't watch it. <Sound of reference going right over [angel]'s head.> |
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One of about six episodes I saw. Elaine dancing is much akin to Margaret Thatcher singing ZZTop numbers. |
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You'll be needing the matching GPS hat though, for the aerial. Unless you fancy walking on your hands, which I'm assured is tiring after a while. |
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I think we're going to need lewisgirl back, if only for the shopping trip to buy everything in matching shades. |
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Perhaps I could start tinkering with the
GPS - Global Positioning Suit |
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Would these tell you if someone was pulling your leg? |
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UnaBubba, uh . .. . ... .. .. ok.. . . ... . . . |
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Hey man, that elainedance.gif is gone |
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This idea is certainly technically practicable, with the addition of drew's hat antenna idea. But at that point you might just as well have a GPS baseball cap with solar collectors and a drop-down nav display. Putting it in boots would subject the unit to unnecessary repetetive shock. THe GPS reciever and active antenna assembly is about the size of a matchbox, the display and memort subsystems about the same size. Lithium-ion battery to power it during the night, charged during the day from the photovoltaics. Nav information given though two tiny earpieces, or by attaching crocodile clips to your ears. Or you could get your ears pierced ..... |
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I have the bits on my desk right now to build this, except for the hat. I might even have a go. It sounds less lethal than FarmerJohn's stupid "lighting barbequeue" idea (bitter bitter bitter, still can't get the stains off my work shirt). |
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The British Army's Future Soldier concept stuff already partly impelemnts this idea. |
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[thumbwax] Drag and drop the url into your address bar. |
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Didn't work for me, either, Matty. Drag and drop the URL?
Tried copy-paste, no avail because of the ellipses. Any clues? |
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I copied the URL from the page source into Notepad (or indeed any other text editor), replaces %2e with a dot and %2f with a slash, then pasted the result into a browser. You could just copy this: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/8313/elainedance.gif |
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Why would you put it in your shoes? And subtly tingle your feet? Why not on your belt, and subtly (or not) beep in your ears? |
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A good headphone system might be able to guide you by adjusting the volume to give you the illusion that the beep is coming from a particular direction, not just left and right. |
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Alas, I believe I have heard of this idea before. In the series Red Dwarf Lister talks about his friend who once bought intelligent shoes that would guide him home from the pub when drunk. So the idea is baked. |
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that would be half-baked (as it is a fictional reference) and as a long-standing red dwarf fan, I cannot recall this quote at all, so it is hardly well known. |
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Yes, truly halfbaked now isn't it! I'm picturing something immensively goofie now, thanks to you! [+] |
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He [Ub] put them on and they kept on
walking.... |
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"that would be half-baked (as it is a fictional reference) and as a long-standing red dwarf fan, I cannot recall this quote at all, so it is hardly well known." |
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Yes you are correct, technically half-baked, forgive my noobieness.
The shoes themselves did not actually exist but the joke had the punchline - the shoes went to heaven "because it turns out shoes have souls/soles..." |
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[marklar]'s link is from 2007, and 5 years after I posted this idea. |
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