Science: Health: Obesity
Weigh to go   (+4, -7)  [vote for, against]
The next step in footwear design

A thin-film micro-computer insole in one [?] shoe squeaks embarrassingly when you walk with more than your pre-set weight.

The small amount of power to drive the device will come from the flexing of a piezo-electric layer eh?
-- rayfo, Oct 22 2000

This turns one of the activities that could result in weight loss - walking - into a source of embarrassment. I think a squeaking (bucking, maybe?) easy chair would be much more productive.
-- jutta, Oct 23 2000, last modified Oct 24 2000


I expected to be slammed because the gadget would, technically, not work. So, assuming that it would work, the output could be audio, tactile, or visual. Some sole music could play? A simulated chip - of gravel, could hurt you? Or a flag could pop out of the toe of your shoe, showing the word "Fatso!"?
-- rayfo, Oct 24 2000


Well, #2, we've been in some sight spots before but this is the first time I've downloaded into my shoe.
-- reensure, Oct 24 2000


Oooh - if you could set the audio output to a telephone ring, that'd be marvellous.
I'd ALWAYS make a point of overeating, standing up - [shoe rings like phone] - taking it off, and answering
"Hello, Agent 86..."

Corny, I know, but come on...
-- Detly, Nov 11 2000


I need one of these...

I used to weigh 165, then 205, then 175, and now I am back on my way up the obesity meter (5'7") and in the past two days, three people have told me to stop gaining weight.

I am afraid however, that this would only lead to more riding in the electric carts in order to avoid the obesity beep, which would make them fatter.
-- mlfnet, Apr 30 2003


How about just a small electric shock with each overweight step? This would turn into shock-avoidance therapy.
-- Cedar Park, Apr 30 2003


Weight watching aside, this COULD be useful for kids who are bringing too many books to school in their backpacks. Or maybe it's just a phenomenon here
-- LoneRifle, Apr 30 2003


Horrible idea for frequent flyers. Amagine trying to get a shoe through security with a freaken computer chip in it! And actually I think this would work better for bulimic people, make the alarm go off when they lose the weight of a "purge"....
-- evilpenguin, May 15 2007



random, halfbakery