We’re used to seeing activity trackers in the form of watches, arm bands, and chest straps. But now you can track your exercise from your socks.
The Sensoria smart socks are worn with a small electronic anklet which transmits data to your smart phone and helps to improve your exercise performance in real time.
The socks are like any other running socks, albeit more expensive, and include pressure sensors. They can track metrics that you would expect from any other activity tracker such as step count, distance, and calorie expenditure.
Yet the socks have additional advantages for activities involving running. They can detect your pattern of foot landing, giving you feedback in real time through your smart phone in order to avoid ground strikes which could lead to acute or repetitive injury.
Feedback is also given to help you stay within your desired stride frequency or stride length, helping you to fine tune your exercise performance. Additionally you have the option to let a friend know if the sensors think you have fallen over, but you can turn this off if your pride is at stake.
The Sensoria app is available for iPhone (iOS 6 and above), Android (OS 4.3) and Windows Phone 8.x, and the complete bundle will retail for $259 (£155).
Faye Prior (Researcher)
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