00 Footloose

SEPT 21, 2015 ||| Skills: Rhino, Photoshop

Since the 90's, light-up sneakers have always captured the playful hearts of consumers. While the technology involved in the manufacturing of these components has advanced, the idea behind them is still a binary response to the wearer's movement as a uniformed subject. I am interested in treating the feet as two complementary elements that together create a rhythm in stride, pace, and proximity. By using sensors I want the light to not only respond to the pressure of each step but also the distance from the other shoe as well as the shoes from another wearer. The result is a more interactive and indirect correlation between footsteps and light. I want to encourage the viewer to move awkwardly and experiment with the patterns. The challenges include: fabricating the soles of the shoes to contain the lights, circuit boards, and power source; program the sensors to input data of proximity, pressure, and orientation; program the output to display different patterns, colors, or intensities of light.