Smart shoes designed for the defense and security sector
Marie Donlon | November 30, 2020Tech company QinetiQ has developed a smart shoe featuring smart textiles, GPS tracking, flexible power storage and physiological monitoring.
Designed for defense and security and fitness applications, the shoes also feature shoelaces outfitted with small light emitting diodes (LEDs) that improve the safety of the wearer — joggers, defense and security personnel and cyclists operating in the dark, for instance.
Source: QinetiQ
Additionally, researchers from QinetiQ believe that the laces would one day be capable of alerting the wearer of GPS route navigation or warn of nearby threats. Specifically, the laces could notify soldiers in the field of nearby threats or used to locate missing personnel.
Powered by a small flexible battery incorporated into the design of the shoe, the makers of the smart shoe intend to conceal other components such as antennas, sensors and micro-generators into the design of the shoe.
There was a story going around about a night time foot chase where the suspect was wearing athletic shoes that light every time you take a step. It made it real easy for the police to find him in the dark.
Light up laces don't seem very stealthy to me.