Multimodal, Compact, Wireless Sensing in Expressive Footwear Project

This effort has resulted in a compact, wireless, low-power sensor card that telemeters 8 analog sensor channels (4 are conditioned for pressure measurements), plus bidirectional bend, 2-axis low-G acceleration (tilt), 3-axis high-G acceleration (shock), 3-axis DC magnetic field strength (orientation), angular rate about vertical (spin), height above an active floor (from a capacitive pickup), and translational position as derived from a sonar. The current system streams data at 20 kbits/sec, able to provide full state updates across the wireless link (up to 100 meters away) at 50 Hz. We have instrumented a dance sneaker with this device to measure many parameters of foot, sole, and toe expression, continuously broadcasting them to a base–station and PC over a wireless link right from each shoe. Our demonstrations allow dancers and athletes to directly produce musical streams from their performances, as can be seen in the video clips posted off the site linked below. Related work explores the identification of gait characteristics from the sensor data, useful not only for interactive performance, but also for digital athletic coaching, podiatric therapy, etc.

Link here for the detailed website on this system

Eric Hu


Kai-yuh Hsiao


Ari Y. Benbasat


Ari Adler


Andy Wilson

Kaijen Hsiao
Chris Sae-Hau