Footwear articles including an upper, a sole, and a metal detecting system. The sole is secured to the upper and defines a cavity. The metal detecting system is secured to the sole in the cavity. In some examples, the footwear article includes an indicator.

A personal monitoring system includes one or more passive biometric sensors and a communication device. A passive biometric sensor is operable to sense a body condition of a body in accordance with a sense signal at a sense frequency to produce sensed data of a body condition. The passive biometric sensor is further operable to transmit an e-field signal via the body regarding the sensed data, wherein the e-field signal is in accordance with an e-field transmit/receive frequency. The communication device is operable to receive the e-field signal via the body. The communication device is further operable to recover the sensed data from the received e-field signal.

A fatigue relief method using smart footwear and an operation method for a user terminal are provided. The fatigue relief method using smart footwear comprises: receiving the provision of pressure data or acceleration data measured while a user wears smart footwear and performs an exercise, wherein the smart footwear has at least one pressure sensor or acceleration sensor and a tactile element, which are installed therein; estimating the fatigue of the user by using the provided pressured data or acceleration data; selecting one of a plurality of vibration solutions on the basis of the estimated fatigue; and allowing the tactile element of the smart footwear to vibrate according to the selected vibration solution.

A low power force detection system includes variable capacitors, a drive sense module, and a processing module. A drive sense circuit of the drive sense module is operable to provide an analog and frequency domain signal to a variable capacitor. The drive sense circuit is further operable to detect a characteristic of the variable capacitor based on the analog and frequency domain signal and to generate a representative signal of the characteristic. The processing module is operable to generate a digital value based on the representative and to write the digital value to memory.

Implementations are directed to a pressure-sensing device including a pressure-sensitive sheet, one or more pressure-sensitive input regions disposed along the pressure-sensitive sheet including a first conductive thread including a first length in contact with the pressure-sensitive sheet, and a second conductive thread including a second length in contact with the pressure-sensitive sheet. At least a first portion of the first length of the first conductive thread passes through the pressure-sensitive sheet through a first hole in the pressure-sensitive sheet at a first location and a second portion of the second length of the second conductive thread passes through the pressure-sensitive sheet through a second hole in the pressure-sensitive sheet at a second location.

An article of footwear, method, and motorized lacing system includes a motor, including a motor shaft, a spool, coupled to the motor shaft, configured to spool and unspool the lace based on the turning of the motor shaft, a processor circuit, and a three-dimensional encoder. The three-dimensional encoder defines a major axis and has a surface having a tabs extending from a drum, an optical sensor, positioned within optical range of the cylindrical encoder, configured to output a signal to the processor circuit indicative of a detected one of the tabs, and a beam break, positioned between the three-dimensional encoder and the optical sensor, forming a pair of slits. The optical sensor is positioned to view the tabs through the pair of slits, wherein the processor circuit is configured to operate the motor based, at least in part, on the signal as received from the optical sensor.

An article of apparel providing dynamic support for an appendage of a person is discussed herein. The article of apparel can include a support garment control device configured to provide dynamic support. The support garment control device can include a control lace coupled to a support portion of the article of apparel. In an example, the support garment control device configured to apply a first tension on the control lace, lock the support garment control device at the first tension to inhibit movement of the control lace in response to detecting a change in movement of the person, and unlock the support garment control device after a pre-determined event subsequent to the change in movement of the person.

An article of footwear, method, and motorized lacing system includes a motor, including a motor shaft, a spool, coupled to the motor shaft, configured to spool and unspool the lace based on the turning of the motor shaft, a processor circuit, and a three-dimensional encoder. The three-dimensional encoder defines a major axis and has a surface having a tabs extending from a drum, an optical sensor, positioned within optical range of the cylindrical encoder, configured to output a signal to the processor circuit indicative of a detected one of the tabs, and a beam break, positioned between the three-dimensional encoder and the optical sensor, forming a pair of slits. The optical sensor is positioned to view the tabs through the pair of slits, wherein the processor circuit is configured to operate the motor based, at least in part, on the signal as received from the optical sensor.

A biometric sensor includes a body surface sensor and an e-field signal transmitter. The body surface sensor create a drive-sense signal at a first frequency based on one or more sensing parameters. When operably coupled to a body via one or more electrodes, the body surface sensor provides the drive-sense signal to the body and detects an effect on the drive-sense signal based on electrical characteristics of the body. The body surface sensor generate a data signal based on the detected effect, wherein the data signal represents the body’s electrical characteristics. The e-field signal transmitter generates an outbound signal reference at a second frequency based on the data signal and one or more transmit parameters. The e-field transmitter drives the outbound reference signal to the body, wherein the outbound reference signal is transmitted within at least a portion of the body as an outbound e-field signal at the second frequency.

Electromagnetic boots for walking in a zero-gravity environment such as in outer space, wherein a pathway made from a magnetic material can be provided. Each boot in includes an electromagnet in a sole of the boot and a control unit configured to magnetize and demagnetize the electromagnet. The control unit can synchronize the pair of electromagnetic boots for walking.