Janet CollinsShoe Phone Technology Could Save Lives
March 2nd 2009 20:00
Inspiration for developing technology for a new cool shoe phone came from none other than Agent 86, Max Smart, himself. Thousands have already checked out the design but it just may be more than a new craze in mobile phone gadgets. It may also be a breakthrough in medical technology.
It all started like this. After attempting to find a shoe phone for a church camp drama presentation that had a “Get Smart” theme and coming up empty handed, Australian computer scientist, Paul Gardner-Stephen decided to design one himself.
His first attempt was acceptable but not good enough for Gardner-Stephen because users had to carry a mobile phone in their pockets as well. He refined his original design with the help of a cobbler mate. The revised design embeds a Motorola V620 in one shoe and a Bluetooth headset in the other.
If anyone is wondering why anyone would prefer a phone in their shoe rather than in their pocket, Gardner-Stephen thinks it is just as fast to take off a shoe and press a button as it is to fumble around in a bag for the phone, although he did concede that it is certainly more difficult to pick up a call while you are driving (although legally we can't do this on a pocket one anyway).
The technology may promise a lot more than a gimmicky new mobile phone device. The same technology, Gardner-Stephen believes, could also be used for medical devices. Equipment used to store and communicate pulse, blood pressure, blood oxygenation and other information could be stored in a shoe. Gardner-Stephen sees this as particularly useful in nursing homes where the shoe could detect a fall and automatically place a call to a medical carer.
Gardner-Stephen had not predicted a rush for the phone but after the engineer noticed how popular the gadget was with his students, he published detailed instructions on creating both versions of the shoe phone on instructables.com where thousands of people have checked out the design.
So move over Blackberries and iPhones. This new design of shoe phone technology has been a hit with the geek crowd and is now set to be sold online. Gardner-Stephen is hoping to capitalise on the interest this design has generated and is looking to sell the shoe phones this year through online stores.
If it is as good as he says it is, let’s hope that medical equipment manufacturers consider buying his design too.
World's First Shoe Phone - credit: Sydney Morning Herald
More Images of the technology inside the shoe can be found at The Sydney Morning Herald photo gallery here:
Really Long Link
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Janet Collins
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I just try to imagine being on a bus and your shoe ringing? And women? That gadget doesn't look as though it would fit into a stilletto heel!!!
Comment by Janet Collins
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You know, I hadn't thought of that - a very good point. You might need to pack the shoes into your luggage.
What we do for gimmicks!
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