Start-Up Develops Shoes That Will Send Out Alerts If User Falls

A French startup called E-Vone has created a pair of ‘smart-shoes with falling alert’ that notifies friends and family if the user falls down.

The product is targeted at older adults, construction workers, or hikers. A number of sensors in the midsole area of the shoe, like a GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and a pressure system senses whenever a person puts on the shoe, and the alarm gets activated. A GSM chip, GPS and LoRa antennas will store all the necessary information, which is why there is no need of a mobile device. Each time the user falls, family, friends and medical services will be alerted with precise geolocation details, enabling help to reach the victim on time.

A representative of E-Vone said that a demo of the shoes’ mechanism will be made available over the next few days. The shoes will be priced anywhere between $100-$150, plus an additional $20 for the alarm services.

Previously at a Consumer Electronics Show, companies revealed a pair of concept sneakers that feature two removable chips and four pressure sensors near the heel area. Not only can the system measure speed, pace and track you via GPS, but it’s also smart enough to learn your stride rate and foot-landing technique.

A French company call Zhor Tech had also revealed a pair of sneakers called the ‘Digital Sole’ that can be ‘laced up’ from a smartphone, track your steps and the amount of pressure you’re putting on your feet, with an embedded sensor that displays information on an app.