Provided is an insole-type electronic device wherein the electronic module is not susceptible to impact and/or load due to walking or running. The insole-type electronic device is an electronic device wherein an electronic module has been incorporated in the insole that is laid on the midsole of a shoe and contacts the sole of the foot. The insole-type electronic device has an insole body with the shape of a normal insole. Said insole body has a heel-protecting part that extends upward from the back end of the heel section of the insole body along the perimeter of the back end of the heel section. Additionally, the insole-type electronic device has an electronic module that is housed in the heel-protecting part.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear and apparel with controller-automated features, methods for making/operating such footwear and apparel, and control systems for executing automated features of such footwear and apparel. A method for operating an intelligent electronic shoe (IES) includes receiving, e.g., via a controller through a wireless communications device from a GPS satellite service, location data of a user. The controller also receives, e.g., from a backend server-class computer or other remote computing node, location data for a target object or site, such as a virtual shoe hidden at a virtual spot. The controller retrieves or predicts path plan data including a derived route for traversing from the user's location to the target's location within a geographic area. The controller then transmits command signals to a navigation alert system mounted to the IES's shoe structure to output visual, audio, and/or tactile cues that guide the user along the derived route.

Sensors, actuators, energy sources, and data processing for enabling artificial intelligent (AI) integrated automated features of intelligent electronic shoes are provided. The intelligent footwear can gather information from the shoe and send the data to a user interface for monitoring the physical activities of the wearer. A smart thermal actuation system can control the internal temperature of the shoe to offer a comfortable experience to the user. Intelligent footwear can also have systems for multipurpose sensing and actuation modules, which can use energy harvested by the user locomotion or by an energy source accompanied by artificial intelligence to gather and process information for ensuring an enhanced user experience.

Sensors, actuators, energy sources, and data processing for enabling artificial intelligent (AI) integrated automated features of intelligent electronic shoes are provided. The intelligent footwear can gather information from the shoe and send the data to a user interface for monitoring the physical activities of the wearer. A smart thermal actuation system can control the internal temperature of the shoe to offer a comfortable experience to the user. Intelligent footwear can also have systems for multipurpose sensing and actuation modules, which can use energy harvested by the user locomotion or by an energy source accompanied by artificial intelligence to gather and process information for ensuring an enhanced user experience.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures that scavenge mechanical energy to provide electrical energy to a wearable, where the mechanical energy is scavenged by a bending-strain-based transducer that includes a non-resonant energy harvester. By employing a non-resonant energy harvester that operates in bending mode, more electrical energy can be generated that possible with prior-art energy harvesters. In some embodiments the bending-strain-based transducer also includes a sensor and/or a haptic device. Some transducers in accordance with the present disclosure comprise a piezoelectric layer comprising a low-K piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride, which enables generation of higher voltage and power/energy output and/or a thinner transducer. As a result, transducers in accordance with the present disclosure can be included in wearables for which large transducer thickness would be problematic, such as sole members (e.g., shoe insoles, midsoles or outsoles), garments, bras, handbags, backpacks, and the like.

An article of footwear includes a motorized tensioning system, sensors, and a gesture control system. Based on information received from one or more sensors the gesture control system may detect a prompting gesture and enters an armed mode for receiving further instructions. In the armed mode the system may detect a variety of different control gestures that correspond to different tensioning commands.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures that scavenge mechanical energy to provide electrical energy to a wearable, where the mechanical energy is scavenged by a bending-strain-based transducer that includes a non-resonant energy harvester. By employing a non-resonant energy harvester that operates in bending mode, more electrical energy can be generated that possible with prior-art energy harvesters. In some embodiments the bending-strain-based transducer also includes a sensor and/or a haptic device. Some transducers in accordance with the present disclosure comprise a piezoelectric layer comprising a low-K piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride, which enables generation of higher voltage and power/energy output and/or a thinner transducer. As a result, transducers in accordance with the present disclosure can be included in wearables for which large transducer thickness would be problematic, such as shoe insoles, midsoles or outsoles, garments, bras, handbags, backpacks, and the like.

Sports equipment and/or areas of play are provided, comprising a sports equipment or area of play and a sensor.

In a guidance support device to be used by being inserted into footwear, a plurality of vibration generating members generate vibrations at a plurality of positions on a foot of a user who uses the guidance support device. A position acquisition part acquires a current position. A route acquisition part acquires a route from the current position to a destination. A vibration control part, on condition that a route pattern at a current position on the route fits any one of a plurality of predetermined patterns, vibrates the vibration generating members in a combination corresponding to the pattern.

A shoelace tracking assembly includes a belt that can be worn around a person's waist. A bracelet is provided that can be worn on a person's wrist. A shoe lace is provided that can be laced into a shoe. A personal electronic device is provided that is in wireless communication with an extrinsic communication network. A plurality of tracking units is each attachable to a respective one of the shoe lace, the belt and the bracelet. Each of the tracking units is in wireless communication with a global positioning system to determine the physical location of the shoe lace, the belt and the bracelet. Moreover, each of the tracking units is in wireless communication with the personal electronic device to facilitate a caregiver to track the location of the person wearing the shoe, the belt or the bracelet.