A panel of a vehicle may be provided with or configured to provide interactive skin. The interactive skin may be configured for accepting touch input from a user. The interactive skin may include one or more flexible layers and may include or be mounted under a transparent display cover layer such as a layer of clear glass or plastic. Interactive skin may include a touch-sensitive layer that allows a user to provide touch input to the panel of the vehicle. Display pixels on interactive skin may be used to display visual information to the user. The interactive skin may be configured for detecting a condition of at least one panel and generating an output function in response to the detected condition.

A panel of a vehicle may be provided with or configured to provide interactive skin. The interactive skin may be configured for accepting touch input from a user. The interactive skin may include one or more flexible layers and may include or be mounted under a transparent display cover layer such as a layer of clear glass or plastic. Interactive skin may include a touch-sensitive layer that allows a user to provide touch input to the panel of the vehicle. Display pixels on interactive skin may be used to display visual information to the user. The interactive skin may be configured for detecting a condition of at least one panel and generating an output function in response to the detected condition.

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 automating a collaborative operation between an intelligent electronic shoe (IES) and an intelligent transportation management (ITM) system includes receiving, via a detection tag attached to the IES shoe structure, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module communicatively connected to a traffic system controller of the ITM system. In reaction to the received prompt signal, the detection tag transmits a response signal to the transmitter-detector module. The traffic system controller uses the response signal to determine a location of the IES's user, and the current operating state of a traffic signal proximate the user's location. The traffic system controller transmits a command signal to the traffic signal to switch from the current operating state to a new operating state.

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 automating a collaborative operation between an intelligent electronic shoe (IES) and an intelligent transportation management (ITM) system includes receiving, via a detection tag attached to the IES shoe structure, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module communicatively connected to a traffic system controller of the ITM system. In reaction to the received prompt signal, the detection tag transmits a response signal to the transmitter-detector module. The traffic system controller uses the response signal to determine a location of the IES's user, and the current operating state of a traffic signal proximate the user's location. The traffic system controller transmits a command signal to the traffic signal to switch from the current operating state to a new operating state.

Methods of enhancing a sensory experience to simulate a live event are provided. One includes providing an audible signal representing sound information; generating a vibration signal based on the audible signal and enhanced information that would be present at the live event; and providing the vibration signal to at least one vibration device for stimulating nerve receptors in a foot area, the vibration signal synchronized with the audible signal to produce a perception in the brain of being present at the live event. Another method includes generating a vibration signal representing vibrations including tactile vibrations for stimulating nerve receptors in a foot to simulate being present at a live event, and vibrations based on reproduced sound information; and providing the signal to at least one vibration device for delivering the vibrations to the feet, the tactile vibrations based on enhanced information different from the sound information and including non-audible elements.

Methods of enhancing a sensory experience to simulate a live event are provided. One includes providing an audible signal representing sound information; generating a vibration signal based on the audible signal and enhanced information that would be present at the live event; and providing the vibration signal to at least one vibration device for stimulating nerve receptors in a foot area, the vibration signal synchronized with the audible signal to produce a perception in the brain of being present at the live event. Another method includes generating a vibration signal representing vibrations including tactile vibrations for stimulating nerve receptors in a foot to simulate being present at a live event, and vibrations based on reproduced sound information; and providing the signal to at least one vibration device for delivering the vibrations to the feet, the tactile vibrations based on enhanced information different from the sound information and including non-audible elements.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. A collision threat warning system, a detection tag, a wireless communications device, and a footwear controller are all mounted to the sole structure/upper. The detection tag receives a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module and responsively transmits thereto a response signal. The footwear controller receives, through the wireless communications device, a pedestrian collision warning signal generated by the remote computing node responsive to the response signal. Responsively, the footwear controller transmits a command signal to the collision threat warning system to generate a visible, audible and/or tactile alert warning the user of an impending collision with a vehicle.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. A collision threat warning system, a detection tag, a wireless communications device, and a footwear controller are all mounted to the sole structure/upper. The detection tag receives a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module and responsively transmits thereto a response signal. The footwear controller receives, through the wireless communications device, a pedestrian collision warning signal generated by the remote computing node responsive to the response signal. Responsively, the footwear controller transmits a command signal to the collision threat warning system to generate a visible, audible and/or tactile alert warning the user of an impending collision with a vehicle.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe (IES) includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure that is attached to the upper and supports thereon the user's foot. An alert system, which is mounted to the sole structure and/or upper, generates predetermined outputs in response to electronic command signals. The IES system also includes a wireless communications device that wirelessly communicates with a remote computing node, and a footwear controller that communicates with the wireless communications device and alert system. The footwear controller receives location data indicative of the user's and remote computing node's locations, determines whether the user's location is within a predetermined location/proximity to the node's location and, if so, transmits command signals to the alert system to notify the user/vehicle.

In one embodiment, a shoe includes a top portion configured to provide covering to a top of a user's foot, a sole portion coupled to the top portion, and one or more processors embedded within the sole portion. Communicatively coupled to the one or more processors are one or more memory modules, one or more user input devices, and a user output device. The user input device includes at least a microphone. Machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the shoe to: receive a command from a user with the one or more user input devices; process the command from the user; and output information with the user output device relevant to the command from the user.