Introducing the world’s first augmented reality shoe with a built-in display

Startup company Vixole has created a prototype for interactive LED sneakers that are compatible with virtual and augmented reality games, such as Pokémon Go. 

The pair of smart shoes, deemed Matrix, interacts wirelessly with your mobile device and provides feedback that doesn’t require the user to remove their phone from their pocket. The company embeds eight different sound and motion-responsive sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, near field communication sensor (NFC), sound sensor, bending sensor, brightness sensor, and vibrator motor, that provide alerts.

The accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer work as a whole to support Vixole’s motion-capture system that is used in interactive design and gaming. NFC works hand in hand with the social feature of the shoe, and the sound sensor allows interaction of sound. The bending sensor measures how much your foot bends, which can be beneficial regarding gaming. And of course, the brightness sensor lets users change the brightness of the screen.

The vibrator is typically used as a GPS feature. However, a user can also configure the vibration motor to alert when a Pokémon is near, and it can also be used to provide feedback from other apps. So those who do not play Pokémon Go could benefit from the product as a way to discretely receive notifications on their devices.

Vixole’s Matrix shoes will be equipped with a CPU that controls all sensors in the footbed and helps communicate with the mobile device via Bluetooth.

“All these sensors will not be limited to the features listed above. We will make it open source. Our users can do anything with it,” said Jackson Dong, Vixole's co-founder.

Another noteworthy feature is that the flexible matrix LED display wraps around the back of the shoe, is programmable, and can be customized to show any image the user chooses.

Currently, the Vixole Matrix is in its concept stage and is not yet available for purchase. However, the company has begun funding for the project on Indiegogo, so interested users can head here to check the shoes out.