A monitoring system includes one or more wireless nodes forming a wireless mesh network; a user activity sensor including a wireless mesh transceiver adapted to communicate with the one or more wireless nodes using the wireless mesh network; and a digital monitoring agent coupled to the wireless transceiver through the wireless mesh network to request assistance from a third party based on the user activity sensor.

An article and system for regulating temperature in footwear. Thermal footwear may include a power generation layer, a thermocell layer, and an accessory layer. The power generation layer may be constructed of an actuator materialfor example, a dielectric elastomerwhich may generate an electric current when compressed or decompressed. The thermocell layer may be configured to either warm or cool a user's foot, and may be reversible by being removably coupled to the power generation layer. The accessory layer may include other components; for example, an integrated circuit chip for power transmission to an external device may be included.

A force detection system includes first and second sets of pressure sensors, memory, and a processing module. The first set of pressure sensors are in an insole of a shoe and the second set of pressure sensors are in an outsole of a shoe. The processing module receives first data regarding the first set of pressure sensors and generates a first digital representation of the first data. The processing module also receives second data regarding the second set of pressure sensors and generates a second digital representation of the second data. The processing module also writes the first and second digital representations to the memory.

A system includes one or more sensors to detect activities of a mobile object; and a processor coupled to the sensor and the wireless transceiver to classify sequences of motions into groups of similar postures each represented by a model and to apply the models to identify an activity of the object.

A system for a shoe sole with at least one module is provided, the module including at least one piezoelectric element adapted to produce an electrical signal upon mechanical deformation of the at least one piezo element. The electrical signal is adapted to be used as signal for deriving at least one motion parameter of the shoe sole. The system further includes at least a first energy storage and a second energy storage, the at least first energy storage and second energy storages being adapted to store electrical energy obtained from the electrical signal, and the second energy storage is loaded only after the first energy storage reaches a first energy threshold.

A foot-powered energy generation device includes a step plate that moves between an upper position and a lower position in response to the step action of a user. The device also includes an electrical generator, and a gear train that will cause a rotor of the generator to rotate in response to movement of the step plate up and down. A carriage is mechanically interconnected to the step plate and the gear train to cause the rotation of the gear train in response to the step plate motion.

The present disclosure discloses a shoe with charging function, including a shoe body, an electricity generating apparatus, a battery, and an output interface, wherein: the electricity generating apparatus is configured to convert work done by a pressure applied to the apparatus into electrical energy, is mounted at the heel of the shoe body and electrically connected to the battery; and the battery is mounted at the counter of the shoe body and configured to connect the output interface for connecting a charging wire. In a process of running or walking, the shoe with charging function converts work done by a pressure applied to the apparatus into electrical energy stored by a battery, thereby eliminating certain defects of conventional charging manners, and meantime charging a mobile terminal. In periods of not being charged, surplus electrical energy is stored in the battery, environment-friendly, safe, and convenient.

A foot force detection system includes variable capacitors, drive sense circuits, a processing module, and a power unit. A drive sense circuit supplies a reference signal to the variable capacitor. It then generates a sensed signal regarding a characteristic of the variable capacitor based on the reference signal. It then converts the sensed signal into a digital signal. The processing module generates a digital impedance value for the variable capacitor based on the digital signal and writes the digital impedance value in memory. The power unit include a battery and a power harvesting circuit, where the battery and/or the power harvesting circuit provide power for the foot force detection system.

A method includes determining, by a processing module of a foot force detection system, an athletic mode. The method further includes, when the athletic mode is active, determining, by the processing module, an athletic burst mode. The method further includes determining, by the processing module, a sampling rate for the foot force detection system based on the athletic burst mode for sampling foot force data.

An automated footwear tightening system wherein a central rotary closure knob is provided on the top of an article of footwear. The rotary closure knob is engaged with a tightening element embedded within the article of footwear. The rotary closure knob is in communication with a motor, such that the motor can rotate the rotary closure knob to tighten the article of footwear upon a user's foot. A wireless transceiver is in electric communication with the motor. In an embodiment, the wireless transceiver is configured to receive and send wireless signals from a user controlled device and activate the motor. The system allows a user to remotely tighten a shoe upon a wearer's foot via the user's controlled device. In an embodiment, the article of footwear will be provided with sensors to tighten the footwear upon receiving a wearer's foot.